Forever May Not Be Long Enough
by Theodore Hawkwood
Summary: After the events of In Search of the Dreamfinder, Prue proposes a desperate gamble in an attempt to save Andy. Warning: Character death in future chapters...
1. Opening Rounds

Opening Moves

Disclaimer: I do not own Charmed, Kingdom Hearts, Disney's Atlantis, nor the Mummy.

Story: Forever May Not Be Long Enough

Summary: After the events of In Search of the Dreamfinder, Prue proposes a desperate gamble in an attempt to save Andy.

* * *

_Prue nestled in the warmth of Andy's arms, as they sat together on their swing in the park. She smiled before their lips met as they kissed. _

"_I won't lose you again." Prue said, "I will find a way to save you." _

"_To think…" Andy replied, "So many near misses we had since we first met. First I had to ruin things by going to college out of state." _

"_We got together again." Prue replied._

"_Then I had to ruin things by not fully trusting you when we met again." Andy replied._

"_I forgave you for that a long time ago." Prue replied as she turned around and leaned back, her head against Andy's chest. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent._

"_I really ruined things by dying though." Andy replied. _

"_In a weird, twisted sort of way Maleficent managed to fix that for you. I guess I owe her one for that." Prue replied._

"_Then there's the little fact that I have four days left to live." Andy replied. _

"_I have a way to remedy that." Prue replied, "Imhotep's Book of the Dead. If we can steal it from him…"_

"_I would love to hear more of your plan. Tell me, will Godfrey dream up some scheme to try and wrest it from my control?" The voice that replied was not Andy's._

_Prue opened her eyes and recoiled in horror, she found herself leaning against a desiccated and dried out mummy. She looked up just in time to see a tall, muscular, bronze skinned and bald Egyptian man standing behind the swing. Imhotep chanted something in his native tongue and the earth shook, a fault line opening in the sidewalk as the swing catapulted Prue into the abyss screaming…_

Prue sat upright in bed, sweating profusely. She hugged her blanket close to herself and thanked God Andy was a heavy sleeper. She watched him sleep, listening to the even rhythm of his breathing as he lay on his stomach muttering something. She wasn't going to lose him again, especially not to Maleficent.

* * *

"Burning the midnight oil again, Godfrey?" Doc asked as he walked into the recreation room, finding Godfrey tossing darts at the board.

"I woke up an hour before I was set to go on watch," Godfrey remarked, "It wasn't worth it falling back to sleep."

"Bullshit." Doc replied, "Godfrey, I see your eyes move slightly to the left whenever you're lying."

"Bollocks." Godfrey replied.

"You're worried about someone or something and I have a sneaking suspicion it's the former rather than the latter." Doc replied.

"Prue just seems on edge for some reason." Godfrey began.

"That some reason is Andy has only four days left to him." Doc replied.

"Besides that I mean." Godfrey replied, "It's as if she's got something planned."

At Doc's quizzical expression, Godfrey added, "I know it sounds absolutely ridiculous, but I have a feeling that she's up to something."

"Donald already told us, the life of a Type B clone cannot be extended beyond its two week lifespan." Doc replied.

"First she borrowed my copy of Aunt Evie's work, and as soon as she found out I was related to the O'Connells and that they had bested Imhotep before, she started asking questions about it." Godfrey replied.

"Why do I get the feeling I don't like where this is leading?" Doc asked.

"Probably because you won't." Godfrey replied, "Her questions were specifically about the Book of the Dead…"

"You're right, this isn't good." Doc replied, "We might as well try and break into Fort Knox. We'd have more success looting the Federal Reserve than we would in getting the book away from Imhotep."

"Agreed. But we're going to have to try to talk her out of this." Godfrey replied.

"You know when Prue is set on something. It takes an act of God to tear her away from it." Doc replied.

"I know that. You know that. I'm well aware of that and that we'll have to enlist everyone we can to talk her out of this." Godfrey replied.

* * *

Prue felt the familiar sensation of astral projecting back home. Judging by the humidity in the air, she had clearly been projected back into the bathroom, and the shower had just been running recently.

"PRUE!" Paige yelped with surprise as she spun round and clutched the little white towel to her chest.

"Oh God!" Prue began, "I am so sorry…"

"It's alright. We understand you don't fully have control of your astral projections when you sleep." Paige replied, "It's karma."

"Huh?" Prue asked, dumbfounded.

"Well, you accidentally got projected into Piper's room a few nights ago when she and Leo were…" Paige replied.

"Don't remind me." Prue replied.

"Who could forget Piper breaking into full-bitch mode?" Paige laughed.

"So you're getting used to it?" Prue asked as Paige threw her bathrobe on.

"You could say that." Paige replied.

"I kind of miss it when Piper goes into rants." Prue replied.

Paige rolled her eyes, "You don't have to live with it every day."

"Paige," Prue replied, "I lived with Piper all of her life and most of mine, I know what happens when Piper goes into full ranting mode. It beat Vinny causing explosions every fifteen seconds."

"I'm surprised the crew hasn't killed him yet." Paige quipped.

"Well, he did help out a lot in the battle of EPCOT." Prue replied.

"EPCOT?" Paige replied, "As in the theme park?"

"Yeah, exactly." Prue replied, "But it's like a world fair slash international neutral area where I am."

"Whoa." Paige replied, as the pair walked towards her bedroom. Prue waited outside while Paige got dressed.

"On a lighter not, be sure to congratulate Piper when you see her." Paige replied, as she stepped out of the room, drying her hair with a towel.

"Why? Don't tell me she's…Oh my God…" The color drained out of Prue's face as a smile set into her face, "I can't believe I've missed almost an entire year of your lives."

"Yes, Piper's going to have a baby." Paige replied.

Piper walked upstairs just then and Prue rushed over to her, smothering her younger sister with a hug. "Congratulations," Prue replied, tears of joy in her eyes.

"Thanks." Piper replied, "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but what's this all about?"

"It has something to do with the fact that I'm going to be an aunt." Prue replied.

"I waited so long." Piper replied, "I still can't believe its happening for me."

Phoebe walked out of her bedroom just then and both Prue and Piper let go of each other and turned around.

"I see you've heard Piper's good news." Phoebe replied.

"I'm sorry about your baby, Phoebe." Prue replied, putting an arm around her sister.

Phoebe was about to reply when she felt a premonition, seen through Prue's perspective:

_The temple shook violently. It was an old structure, suffering from long decline. It was ancient Egyptian in origin, old bas reliefs and hieroglyphics nearly faded by blowing sand and wind. Rock and tile fell from the ceiling. _

_A large, bald black man holding a rifle just knocked down a Heartless. An Italian man with a black mustache, wearing a metal breastplate was yelling something, from the lip reading it had to be about the temple. _

"_I can't guarantee the temple's gonna be standing much longer!" Vinny shouted. _

_Kida was fighting against an Egyptian woman, trading strikes, kicks and clawing attacks to no effect. Kolopak was picking off Heartless from a hiding place on top of the altar with his 1903 Springfield rifle. _

_A large fissure opened a few inches from Prue's feet. Inside the fissure were damned souls, flames surrounding them. They reached up out of the pit. Prue turned around, as Phoebe saw through her older sister's eyes. _

_Andy was lying on the ground, blood flowing from the side of his head. In Prue's hands was a heavy book, somewhat metallic. Crouched near Andy was a dark haired man wearing the desert tan uniform of the British Army. _

_From lip reading, Phoebe could tell that Godfrey was saying something, "Prue, we have to get rid of it!" _

_Godfrey was suddenly lifted into the air by an invisible force. A bald, muscular Egyptian man held his hands out, contorting his hands, bending Godfrey's body in many different directions. "Prue, get rid of it!" Godfrey shouted with a choking shout…_

"Oh my God, Prue…" Phoebe began.

"What happened? What did you see Phoebe?" Prue began.

Phoebe remained silent. _How do I just tell her that she's going to lose Andy again? _

"Phoebe…" Prue began in her best annoyed big sister tone.

"This could be important, Phoebe." Piper added.

"It's about Andy." Phoebe began.

"If this is about him living for only two weeks, I'm not going to let that happen. I have a plan to take the Book of the Dead from Imhotep…" Prue began.

"That isn't going to work." Phoebe replied.

"What do you mean?" Prue asked.

"You have a choice, Prue…" Phoebe replied.

"What is wrong with you people?" Prue shouted in exasperation at the heavens before she returned to her own body.

* * *

"There's something weird about Prue today." Godfrey replied.

"Great, it's the weather forecast…" D'Artagnan commented, "Again."

"I'm certain this time that something terrible is going to happen." Godfrey replied, after he munched down another mouthful of breakfast.

"And the weather on the Halliwell front is stormy." D'Artagnan commented.

"Thanks for the commenting, Armand." Godfrey rolled his eyes.

"Well, someone pays attention to the forecast." Vinny replied as he took a seat at the table where D'Artagnan, Godfrey and Doc were sitting.

"Do I dare ask why you smell like smoke?" Godfrey asked, "Would it have anything to do with the fact that a bar of soap is missing from my bathroom?"

"Heh heh heh…" Vinny laughed, reddening, "A funny story, really…You see, gunpowder is a marvelous substance, but it has its limitations. When wet, it won't explode. And I was experimenting with ways to make the walking cherry bombs explode underwater. I've already perfected waterproof fuses…"

"And that explains why your bathroom rug is drying on the air vent in the hallway." Doc replied.

"How do you think I figured out that the underwater fuses are perfect?" Vinny asked.

"And apparently you don't know that the floor of your bathroom leaks." Kolopak replied as he walked into the room.

"If your explosions and insane cackles didn't keep me awake, the trickling water down the ceiling crack right onto my face while lying awake really did the trick." Kolopak replied, his eyes bloodshot and veins appearing out of his neck.

Prue walked into the room, deep in thought, and almost right into Kolopak. "Oh, I'm sorry Kolopak…Wow, you look like hell."

"Blame Vinny and his latest explosive experiments." Kolopak replied, "Between explosions, insane cackling in the middle of the night, and water tricking through the crack in my ceiling onto my face…I wound up sleeping on the floor."

"I can fix you right up." Prue replied.

"Take care Prue doesn't spill the coffee she makes near a graveyard. It can wake the dead." Godfrey replied.

"Ha ha." Prue replied.

"Kolopak, a bullet to the heart is a much less painful way of committing suicide." Godfrey replied.

"My coffee is not _that _bad." Prue protested.

"I tried it last week and it nearly ate through my insides." Godfrey replied, "I'm surprised you have innards left."

"Wuss." Prue replied, "You can stand up to a hulking, running Welshman on the rugby pitch; you fight against the Japanese, the Germans, the Heartless, but you can't drink a cup of coffee."

"That's because rugby is fun. Fighting the Japanese and Germans is much less painful than feeling like your heart is going to explode." Godfrey replied.

"Rugby, fun? You're insane." Prue replied, "It's blunt force trauma without padding."

"It's fun." Godfrey replied.

"You're insane." Andy added, "Prue's right."

"You're just annoyed because…" Godfrey replied.

"Because I had the armpit of some huge, hairy Welshman right in my face. And the guy didn't shower for at least a week." Andy replied.

"I think Godfrey's been tackled a few too many times without a helmet." Doc observed.

"At Chillingsborough we were athletes as well as scholars. I just happened to like rugby." Godfrey replied.

"No wonder your aim is so off whenever you throw darts." Doc remarked.

"That my friend, sounds like a challenge." Godfrey retorted, reaching into his pocket, "I followed your approach and had a custom set made at the UK pavilion in EPCOT."

Doc's normally calm and friendly expression took an ominous air, "Bring it on."

"Is it just me, or are those two obsessed with darts. It's almost pathological…" Vinny began.

"Said the psychopath." Andy quipped.

"Hey, my inventions are useful!" Vinny protested.

"Useful at causing destruction, devastation, and frayed nerves perhaps…" Andy replied.

"I said I was sorry, Donald!" came the shout from outside.

"Yeah! Don't blow things out of proportion!" Sora added.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"What's going on now?" Prue asked.

"Don't go there." Doc said.

"Basically nothing new." Andy observed, "Vinny's carrying out experiments, Doc and Godfrey are on another endless round of dart contests…"

"Basically another normal day on the _Morrowind_." Prue remarked.

"Exactly." Andy replied, "At least it wasn't as bad as yesterday…"

BOOM!

"Vinny! You did not turn the recreation room hallway into a minefield!" Doc shouted.

"It was only luminous paint!" Vinny protested.

"You'll love the luminous paint when we make you eat it!" Godfrey shouted.

"HELP!" Vinny shouted as he ran down the hall, with Godfrey and Doc in tow, throwing darts at him.

"Someone help me! They're going to kill me!" Vinny shouted.

"Godfrey! Doc! Don't kill Vinny!" Donald shouted, "Let me get him first!"

Donald showed up, also covered in chalk dust and luminous paint. Sora ran behind him saying, "Donald, I'm sorry! I didn't know that Vinny turned the hallway into a minefield…"

"After I get my hands on Vinny! You're next!" Donald said.

"We have a fight to break up." Prue observed.

* * *

Several hours later, Sora sat between a couple crates in the cargo hold. Prue walked into the cargo hold, after a rather annoyed and still faintly glowing Donald had noticed Sora was missing from the daily magic lesson.

"Sora?" Prue asked.

"Yeah…" came a voice.

"Are you OK?" Prue asked, "Donald's looking for you…"

"I kinda want to be alone. OK?" Sora replied.

"In the cargo hold?" Prue asked, hugging her arms to her chest. This was the only area of the _Morrowind_ that wasn't heated or air conditioned.

"Donald can find me in my room." Sora replied.

Prue headed over to where Sora's voice could be heard, between two large shipping crates. "Sora, what's going on?" Prue asked.

"I…" Sora began, "I'm fine, OK. I just wanted to be alone for a while."

"Sora," Prue began gently, "I know that tone. And I know you're not fine."

Prue gently lifted Sora's chin with her right hand, "You haven't been sleeping well, have you? You're worried about someone or something…"

"You wouldn't understand." Sora replied.

"Try me." Prue replied.

"Donald won't understand either." Sora replied, "All he cares about is this quest, and the fact that I wield the Keyblade, and that my magic…"

"Donald cares." Prue replied, "But it is your responsibility as a magical being…"

"I'm just so worried about them." Sora replied.

"Who?" Prue asked, gently.

"It's like my friends are taking the back burner to this 'magical responsibility' that Donald preaches every day." Sora confided.

"Your friends? Are they in Traverse Town, because we'll be there in about forty-five minutes." Prue replied.

"No, I haven't seen them since my world was destroyed." Sora replied, "I promised Kairi and Riku I'd look for them, but I haven't been able to find them. And with my quest and this Keyblade, I haven't had time to keep my promise."

"Sora," Prue began, "I understand more than anyone else what it's like to have to put magic before your personal life. I know what you feel right now. I have had to make my sacrifices as a witch…"

"You mean Andy." Sora replied.

Prue nodded, remembering that day as if it was yesterday. The sight of Andy's dead body. Rodriguez's attack. The funeral, the red and white roses, the emptiness and pain despite having served the greater good.

"I promise I'll talk to Donald, and Kolopak if need be, to give you some time to look for your friends…" Prue replied.

"Thank you." Sora replied, "So what did Donald want to teach us today?"

"More potions." Prue replied.

"Oh great, the teaching room is going to smell like Vinny's lab again." Sora rolled his eyes.

BANG!

"HA HA HA HA! EUREKA! I'VE CREATED…" Vinny could be heard shouting.

"A very deep pile of shit that you are now up to your eyeballs in!" Kolopak shouted.

* * *

_Gefreiter _(Corporal) Heinz Schaller of the 217th Machine Gun Battalion marched under the baking heat of the North African sun. The British forces were retreating before the might of the Afrika Korps. He noticed the burned out remains of a Panzer Mark IV tank that had been destroyed by P-40 fighter bombers of No. 5 Squadron, South African Air Force.

For Schaller the burned out tank hull represented his personal landmark in the North African war. Six months ago that tank had been destroyed by the South African fighter bombers. Six months ago, Schaller had arrived in North Africa, as the Afrika Korps advanced towards the Egyptian frontier. Six months ago, there had been seven other soldiers that arrived in the desert into the unit with his intake. Six months later, Schaller was the only one to survive.

Behm had been the first to die, marching beside the wreckage of the tank. He was seventeen and a half years old, from Stuttgart. His mother had been a blubbering, sobbing wreck when she'd seen him off at the train station.

_God will have a hell of a time putting Behm back together whenever the dead are resurrected. _Schaller thought, as his weary feet took another step forward, remembering Behm had been less than three feet away from the tank when the P-40 dropped two bombs onto it. The explosion had blasted the slightly chubby youth into three charred pieces, buried in the regimental cemetery further behind the line.

Four times in six months Schaller had passed the remnants of the now gutted tank. First it was advancing into Egypt, only to retreat from a particularly intense counter attack from the 51st Highland Division with armored support. Second was a counter-attack supported by the 91st Panzer Division that was broken by dogged attacks by South African P-40s and Royal Air Force Hurricanes strafing and bombing the column. Third was being suddenly diverted to the rear to contain the 9th Australian Division, after it had shattered the Italian units guarding the northern flank. Fourth was now.

The crew of the tank was long dead, save the sole survivor, medically evacuated to Germany covered with third degree burns. The other four crewmen died a fiery death, running and screaming torches set alight by South African bombs. What little usable equipment on the tank that remained had been stripped away by mechanics of the 91st Panzer Division.

"ALARM!" came the shout.

Schaller dived into a dried out tire rut, flattening himself into the ground. The sound of aircraft overhead could be heard. The tire rut was maybe an inch deep, but it was the only cover to be found. A nearby half-track exploded as a Hurricane fighter strafed it with 20mm cannon fire that punctured the fuel tank.

A soldier fell into the rut, a chunk of steel embedded in the base of his throat. He clawed at the steel, as if trying to remove a medal that he would rather have not received. Schaller prayed that the bombs wouldn't find him, that he wouldn't wind up like the torn, mutilated bodies he'd seen after countless air attacks.

"Mother! Mother!" A soldier screamed, lying on his back, splinters from 20mm rounds having torn into his stomach.

Several Heartless let out inhuman shrieks as they were caught in the middle of the airstrike. _I should leave you stupid bastards in the open more often. _Schaller thought ironically.

Almost as soon as they appeared, the British fighter bombers flew off over the horizon and Schaller stood again as soldiers used up precious water to try and fight the fire consuming a truck filled with ammunition. Medics raced among the wounded, trying frantically to stabilize them.

_Fucking Heartless. Fucking Nazi Party. Fucking war…_Schaller thought angrily, kicking the body of a dead Shadow Heartless that had been traveling with the unit.

He felt satisfaction course through his body as he kicked the dead creature. They gave him the fucking creeps. Sure Imhotep and these creatures had helped Germany rearm and throw the damnable treaty of Versailles out the window, but damn if these creatures didn't make him nervous, as if they were waiting to turn their attacks on Germany as soon as her enemies were defeated…

* * *

"Godfrey," Doc said, "There you are…I was looking all over for you."

Godfrey wiped the sweat from his brow after he'd finished a run shortly after they'd landed, "I just wanted to get a few miles in, jogging to and from an impromptu rugby match. It turns out some of the RAF blokes here were a man short."

"I need to treat you for pathological obsession." Doc rolled his eyes.

"Bollocks. I love a game of rugby." Godfrey replied.

"Let's hope your game of rugby is better than your game of darts." Doc replied, with a twinkle.

"As soon as I get showered…" Godfrey replied.

"How was your rugby match by the way?" Doc asked.

"The Aussies ground us out forty to fourteen." Godfrey replied, "And their bloody flankers (I) were damn good play readers, better tacklers, and they went after the flyhalf and scrumhalf with a vengeance."

"Basically they went after you on every play." Doc replied.

"Basically." Godfrey replied, "No sooner than the RAF scrumhalf caught the ball from the scrum and passed it to me. He got hit by an enormous Australian flanker. No sooner than I catch the ball, _I _get sandwiched right between the other Aussie flanker and their No.8 (II)."

"Ouch." Doc commented, "And you are driven to play this game why?"

"It was my favorite game at Chillingborough, when I was at university, and even when I joined the Mayapore Constabulary." Godfrey replied.

"And you didn't invite me?" Doc asked.

"As much as I know you love a good game of rugby…" Godfrey began.

"I prefer to tag along just in case you injure yourself." Doc replied.

"Bollocks." Godfrey replied, "I've not been hurt that badly."

"The blood on your upper lip might be proof otherwise." Doc replied.

"The wanker's elbow came into contact with my face." Godfrey replied.

"And your eye socket." Doc observed, noticing a nasty bruise under Godfrey's right eye.

"No, I tried to tackle the Aussie scrumhalf. He was a slippery bloke." Godfrey replied.

"Anyway, what I really wanted to talk about was Prue." Doc replied.

"What about her?" Godfrey asked.

"She's been acting strange since we left EPCOT." Doc replied.

"And it's likely due to the fact that she is about to lose Andy in a few days." Godfrey replied.

"I'm thinking there's something more to it than that." Doc replied, "She doesn't sound like someone soon to grieve a loss. She sounds like a woman on a mission, and if we're not careful a suicide mission."

"OK, but what exactly do you want me to do about this." Godfrey replied.

"You two are pretty close on the friendly front." Doc asked, "Can you at least try and figure out what she's up to?"

"Be wary of Greeks bearing gifts." Godfrey replied.

"Godfrey, what the hell do you mean?" Doc asked.

"I'm saying it seems a bit much. I mean trying to pry information out of Prue." Godfrey replied, "It seems deceptive."

"Look, I have a gut feeling that something terrible is about to happen." Doc replied, "And one thing's certain. You are not Greek."

"No, he's a red blooded Englishman." Came a voice. The two men turned to see a gangly, blonde haired eighteen-year-old private in the uniform of the British Army, bearing the patch of the 7th Armored Division.

"The RAF blokes told me you were here, sir." The British soldier replied.

Godfrey took a closer look and smiled, "Alex, if you call me 'sir' one more time…"

"I'm sorry, sir, I mean Alan. Several weeks basic training in the UK will do that." Alex O'Connell replied.

The two swapped hugs and Godfrey asked, "When did you enter service?"

"Over two months ago. Mum and Dad weren't too happy." Alex replied.

"Well, you can't exactly avoid being drafted." Godfrey replied.

"I didn't get drafted." Alex replied, "I volunteered."

"Well, Aunt Evy and Uncle Rick can't do anything about that." Godfrey replied, "They're in the UK, and it's an average of nine days between letters…"

"Ahem," Alex replied, "Mum and Dad aren't in the UK. They're here in Traverse Town for at least another month…And they're driving me out of my bloody mind."

"What job did you get with the Armored Division, exactly?" Godfrey asked.

"Driving Crusader tanks with the 1st Royal Tank Regiment." Alex replied.

"And you ship off to Egypt when?" Godfrey asked.

"In a day or so." Alex replied.

"Now I see why Aunt Evy and Uncle Rick aren't too happy. Especially after the incident with Imhotep…" Godfrey replied.

"I was eight when it happened. I'm eighteen and I can take care of myself." Alex replied.

"Trust me, Mums carry the eternal worry complex well into their adult lives." Godfrey replied, "Feel free to come aboard and talk about this entire lot."

The three men walked aboard the _Morrowind._

"Godfrey," Doc remarked, "You have a very interesting family tree."

* * *

TBC: Up next the crew meets the O'Connell family and another crossover in the form of the Mummyverse is to be added to this fic…

I Flankers are rugby forwards who are the best tacklers on a fifteen-man rugby squad.

II The largest forward on a rugby squad.


	2. My Faith In Love is Like Blood

1My Faith in Love is Like Blood

Disclaimer: Same as before…

* * *

"The witch will try to take the book." Imhotep began.

"She is vulnerable." Maleficent agreed.

"I still say we will need Demons, or at least Demon blood, to press our advantage. It seems the Allies are holding off the Axis powers and our Heartless." Oogie Boogie replied.

"The Source does not share power. We've been through this, Oogie Boogie." Maleficent replied.

"The Source is vanquished, Maleficent. There is a new Source, formerly the demon Belthazor." Oogie Boogie replied.

"The Charmed Ones vanquished him as well, Oogie Boogie." Maleficent replied, "But even if the new Source was still alive, we would not make any deals with him."

"Why? If we infuse the Heartless with demon blood, we could have stronger fighters. Think of it. Heartless that have the ability to throw fireballs, to shimmer onto the _Morrowind _unexpectedly…" Oogie Boogie began.

"At what cost?" Jafar demanded.

"The Source would take over." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"And then we would become little more than slaves ourselves." Imhotep replied.

"Like you aren't a slave already? A slave to your little wench." Oogie Boogie sniped, "If I'm not mistaken, it got you cursed to begin with."

Oogie Boogie found himself suspended in midair, the threads holding him at the seams loosening. One of the threads unwrapped and wound around his neck like a noose. The large sack of bugs tried to pull the thread off but it held like a strand of wire.

"Listen you sack of bugs. Speak of my love in that way again, and I promise you I will unravel every thread that makes up your bloated body before casting them into the fire." Imhotep replied.

"That's enough!" Maleficent roared, "Let us focus on the task at hand."

Imhotep released Oogie Boogie reluctantly. "Now, how are we going to get the witch to go after the Book of the Dead?" Maleficent asked.

"Her worries for her beloved are the bait." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"What of Godfrey?" Maleficent asked, "He seems hell bent on keeping her out of this."

"Don't worry about that." Colonel Rourke said, "I will make sure Godfrey has orders to where you intend to set the trap. I'll send him on a mission to that same area."

"That's all well and good. But even you can't order Kolopak to go to Egypt. You have no authority over independent airships like the _Morrowind._" Imhotep replied.

"Well, Kolopak can be persuaded. We can simply say that a cache of parts and fuel for his ship are located in Egypt, perhaps throwing in rumors of surviving Rubber Tree people to boot." Rourke replied, "All you need to worry about is entrapping them in the temple."

"It's behind German lines…" Imhotep began.

"In a sector that is heavily contested. It's a bulge into British lines, and I guarantee you that Montgomery's fighting like hell to try and reclaim the area. Order the Germans to pull back to stabilize the line, and shorten the line of defense within the next two days in order to get them out of the area." Rourke replied.

As the villains filed out of the chamber an ethereal form shimmered into view. "Maleficent is still dead set against me?"

"Forgive me, Great One." Oogie Boogie replied.

"Find me a body to possess, Oogie Boogie, or it will be your soul that I will displace." The Source's spirit menaced.

"The Eldest Halliwell will do, Great One." Oogie Boogie began, "Once Imhotep has killed her, jump right in. How ironic that the Source of All Evil possess the body of a Charmed One."

"That prospect could well have meaning." The Source replied.

* * *

As the three men walked onto the Morrowind, they almost ran into Prue who was on her way out into Traverse Town, with a map in her right hand.

"Prue," Godfrey began, "This is my cousin, Alex. He's a replacement with the 7th Armored Division."

"Nice to meet you." Alex began, extending a hand.

"Charmed." Prue replied.

Godfrey couldn't help but grin at the irony of Prue's response. "How long have you known Godfrey?" Prue asked.

"Since I was a little one, when Alan was at Chillingborough and then university in the UK before he went back to India." Alex replied.

"How are Aunt Evy and Uncle Rick?" Alan asked.

"They're just fine." Alex replied, "They're in town as a matter of fact..."

"Really." Prue replied, "I'd like to talk to them, if that's OK."

At Alex's quizzical expression Prue added, "I used to appraise antiques when I lived in San Francisco."

_I really hate lying to the kid like that. But I'll come clean with the O'Connells when I meet them. _Prue thought. She noticed Godfrey giving her a stare, and felt so rotten about deceiving members of Godfrey's family.

"And not to mention Uncle Jonathan's up to his old antics again." Alex replied.

"Oh dear God. What has he done this time?" Godfrey asked.

"Let's just say it involves a poker game, a woman at a bar, a jealous husband, and a 'decorative' sword." Alex replied.

"Let me guess, the bloke put Uncle Jonathan in the hospital." Godfrey replied.

Alex nodded, "He's at the town house with Mum and Dad at the spare bedroom."

BOOM!

Alex did what he was trained to do in basic training, he dived to the ground and covered his ears, opening his mouth and closing his eyes.

"HA HA HA! IT'S ALIVE!" Vinny shouted, "IT'S ALIVE!"

"But you won't be!" Kolopak could be heard shouting.

Alex watched in wide eyed amazement as an Italian man in a black sweater with an iron breastplate, with brown trousers and boots, black hair and a mustache, running in terror. Chasing him was a very annoyed and rather singed Native American fellow with a brown full brim hat, a singed white shirt with a singed brown vest, and brown trousers. His gray hair, reaching down to the middle of his neck, smelled of soot and ash.

"What happened now, Kolopak?" Prue rolled her eyes.

"Vinny's new and improved Walking Cherry Bombs. They spray flaming oil from a little pan underneath the base of the bomb in a circle around them and THEN they explode." Kolopak replied.

"Walking Cherry Bombs?" Alex asked his cousin.

Godfrey simply nodded, "Precisely. Vinny is a veritable Archimedes when it comes to explosives or combustible materials."

"He doesn't sound like he's very sane." Alex replied.

"Trust me, kid," Prue replied, "Sanity is the last thing any of us associate with Vinny."

"OW! OW! OW! OW! OW!" Vinny shouted.

"Is anyone going to stop this?" Alex asked.

"Kolopak will calm down in about an hour or so. It seems to be his incredible bad luck to run into all of Vinny's inventions and..." Prue replied.

"Where's that maniacal Italian pyromaniac?" Donald demanded as he stomped into the hallway, the feathers on his upper body, his cap, and his garments singed.

"What happened to you?" Prue asked.

"Vinny's insane 'Tarzan bombs'." Donald snapped.

"Tarzan bombs?" Prue asked.

"Basically it's a walking cherry bomb that swings from the ceiling like a monkey on a vine." Donald replied.

"Between the walking cherry bombs and the Tarzan bombs I'm amazed this ship still flies." Alex replied.

"Me too." Godfrey replied, "Now, let's go see Aunt Evy and Uncle Rick."

* * *

Rick and Evelyn O'Connell lived in a town house in the First District of Traverse Town, overlooking the Second District Gate. The house was decorated with many ancient artifacts or very good replicas thereof.

Prue picked up a small statuette of Anubis. "Is this a genuine 6th Century B.C.?"

"Yes." Evy O'Connell replied. Despite being in her early forties, Evy O'Connell was still a beautiful woman, with her long dark hair worn flowing free. Her manner of dress was a comfortable, loose fitting dress of Egyptian origin, in a perfect gone-native interpretation, complementing her slight olive tan.

"You have quite an eye." Evy remarked.

"Thank you." Prue replied, "I used to work as a museum curator."

"Oh really." Evy asked, "Where and in what collection?"

"In San Francisco." Prue replied, "I mostly did a lot of work on antiquities and a few with Renaissance art work."

"You really must get along with Alan then?" Evy asked.

Prue felt a blush creeping into her cheeks, one she couldn't quite figure out why. "Godfrey and I have gotten to be good friends." Prue replied, diplomatically. _If only things were that simple._

Evy gave the younger woman a dark-eyed gaze, one speaking of wisdom beyond years, "You're with someone else I gather?"

Prue nodded, silently. Andy, Doc, Godfrey and some of the others were listening to Rick O'Connell talking about the two occasions he had faced down Imhotep, and survived. Rick raised a tumbler of whiskey over his head, commemorating those who had fallen to defeat Imhotep. Men like Captain Winston Havelock, who perished in a plane crash trying to speed Rick and Jonathan to save Evy. Or men like Dr. Terrence Bey, the valiant Medjai warrior who had fought off a horde of Imhotep infected slaves to allow the others to escape, sacrificing himself in the process.

"It seems like no matter how many brave men have died trying to stop Imhotep, he keeps coming back." Evy mused.

"How did he come back this time?" Prue asked, from what Godfrey had told her and the book Evy had written, she knew most of the story.

"I don't know, honestly, but it had to be someone stood to gain something by resurrecting Imhotep." Evy said, "Which means there's no shortage of suspects."

"The German Nazi party." Prue replied, "They stood to gain the most out of raising Imhotep. From what I've heard, it seems that Imhotep helped the Germans rebuild and rearm and maybe even linked Maleficent to the Heartless..."

"It feels like all the work we did to defeat Imhotep has been for naught." Evy replied.

"So what is the source of Imhotep's power?" Prue asked.

"That which cursed him." Evy replied, "His forbidden love for Seti I's lover, Anck-Su-Namun. When she killed herself to flee capture by the Medjai, Imhotep tried to resurrect her but was stopped by the Medjai..."

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but who were the Medjai?" Prue asked.

"They were Pharoah Seti's secret bodyguard." Evy replied, "When Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun killed Seti I, they condemned themselves to be cursed for all eternity. Imhotep was fated to endure the _homdai_. It was the most feared of ancient curses, saved for the most evil of blasphemers."

"Wait a minute!" Prue replied, "I've heard of that curse, but there's no record of it having been performed."

"Except on Imhotep." Evy replied, "The Medjai existed for centuries after Imhotep's curse to prevent him being raised from the dead. The first time he was raised was in 1923, and it was because I was naive enough to think the Book of the Dead was just a book, I was wrong."

Prue listened attentively. "The second time he came to life was in 1933, and he attacked our family and kidnaped our son." Evy continued.

"We braved great odds once again to save our son, thinking we had trapped Imhotep in the

dark underworld for all eternity." Evy said, sadly, "But six years later, we heard rumors that behind Germany's rearmament that Imhotep was behind it."

Meanwhile, Godfrey downed another gulp of whiskey. "Uncle Rick, your tastes haven't changed much."

"Neither has your tolerance." Rick replied.

At this Doc and the others asked, "What do you mean?"

"My nephew's been quite a lightweight regarding whiskey. He can stand almost anything else, but a few shots of whiskey knock him down like a punch from a heavyweight. Let me tell you about his first year at university..." Rick began.

"Do tell." Doc replied.

"Wanker." Godfrey grumbled.

"Let's just say that..." Rick began, as his eyes fell upon a Heartless standing in the window.

Godfrey turned, instinctively drawing out his .38 revolver from his holster. The Heartless had broken through the window just as Godfrey turned. Godfrey squeezed the trigger, the .38 round tearing right through the creature's forehead.

Another Shadow Heartless appeared in the window, Godfrey fired again, killing the second creature. Vinny ran for the window and saw several Heartless crawling up the trellis. He raced over and grabbed the bottle of whiskey from the table and tore a shred of fabric from his undershirt. He took a cigarette lighter out of his pocket and lit the rag on fire.

"HEY! That's..." Rick shouted.

Vinny flung the whiskey bottle turned Molotov cocktail out onto the group of Heartless, setting them on fire. Inhuman shrieks could be heard as several Heartless clawed at their burning bodies. Rick grabbed the shotgun that had been hanging on the wall, and chambered a round into the weapon. More Heartless began to scale the wall, and a Shadow got over the window sill just in time to be practically decapitated by Rick's shotgun. He pumped the weapon as another Heartless climbed through the frame of the window. BLAM! The next Heartless fell two stories with a hole the size of a worklight blown through it's torso.

Prue used her telekinesis to shut the window and shutters as the Heartless pounded against the window. Evy grabbed a bronze sword from the wall, and Prue briefly marveled at how well Evy handled the weapon, as if it were an extension of her body.

Kolopak produced a .45 pistol from his trousers, as did Doc, Vinny, and Andy. A Soldier Heartless broke through the window, it's head peering inside the room. Kolopak promptly shot it in the face. Another Heartless crashed through the window, only to be picked off by Andy and Vinny firing almost simultaneously into it.

Sounds of shouting could be heard downstairs as the marauding Heartless were flanked by a squad of British infantry that was in the area. Several wounded Heartless were fleeing from the pursuing British troops, badly injured and leaking black blood as the fled into the Second District.

"Believe it or not," Evy began, "This is a common occurrence whenever we're in Traverse Town. The Heartless have been raiding in small groups into First District every so often, and then they get chased off by the 3rd Battalion of the South African army."

"The Terrible Ones." Godfrey acknowledged, "A good and tough outfit, blokes skilled at stopping off raids of any sort."

"The question is, why raid this house?" Prue asked.

"Imhotep." Evy answered.

"So how were you able to defeat Imhotep?" Prue asked.

"The Book of the Living takes life away." Evy replied, "We used it the first time to remove Imhotep's immortality and then we were able to kill him."

"And the second?" Prue asked.

"By true love. Anck-Su-Namun abandoned him and he let himself fall body and soul into the Underworld while I pulled Rick out of the chasm they both hung over." Evy replied.

* * *

Heinz Schaller gulped another mouthful of his precious water as he walked across the desert sand. Yet another of these damned anti-Medjai sweeps. Schaller knew better than to surrender to the complaints of his body under the blazing desert sun, for he knew the Medjai always launched hit and run assaults on German patrols.

The area was damn perfect for ambush, the insides of a narrow canyon called a wadi. The battalion had received intelligence of a Medjai camp in the wadi, and in fact several fleeing horsemen had been sighted. The half-tracks sped after them, but the wadi was too narrow for the vehicles to follow. The German infantrymen in them dismounted.

"_Allahu Akhbar!_" came the shout.

"_Allahu Akhbar!" _the response rang out.

The shouts echoed around the canyon's rocky walls, impossible to determine the source of any one of the shouts. The German patrol went to ground, finding whatever cover was available. Gunshots rang out and an unlucky soldier shook under their impact before hitting the ground.

From the rocks above the German positions, Medjai marksmen picked off individual Germans in their formations. A lieutenant collapsed next to Schaller, gasping as a bullet had torn a hole through his chest, air being sucked in and out of the hole with blood being expelled. The platoon sergeant fell like a pole-axed mule just then, a bullet having torn through his head. As he fell two more bullets from two other Medjai marksmen tore into him.

The sound of crumbling rocks sounded as the canyon itself seemed to be attacking the Germans, rocks crushing living and dead alike. Schaller watched as a boulder narrowly missed him. Other fleeing soldiers were ahead of him, and he felt as one shoved him out of the way, into the rock wall as he fled up the path.

A savage battle cry sounded just then, as from a dry wash came a force of Medjai horsemen. Schaller dropped to one knee, aimed his Kar-98K rifle and squeezed the trigger, a Medjai falling dead, his horse atop him.

The Germans got a few shots off before the Medjai were among them, avenging the losses they took from the rifle fire. Schaller saw Gunter's head burst like a melon as a Medjai horsemen galloped right into their midst and swung his short, heavy bladed and razor sharp sword.

A German half-track raced for the patrol, shooting its machine guns. Almost as soon as they appeared, the Medjai horsemen fled. Of the forty Germans in the patrol, thirty seven were dead or severely wounded.

Ardeth Bey watched the Germans claim their dead as the other Medjai melted back into the desert. He sheathed his sword, wiping the blood and brains from the two Nazis he had killed. He watched them run. The years of fighting had been hard of the Medjai. The British defeats had meant much of the Medjai territory was claimed by the Germans. The Medjai knew the desert, but the Germans were ruthless enemies.

Imhotep had not forgotten the hands that had cursed him to endure the _homdai_, to be the undead for all eternity. He had no intention of letting the Medjai escape unharmed. He made sure the Germans had orders to obliterate the Medjai settlements wherever they were found.

* * *

After the fighting had ended, Rick went for another bottle of whiskey as he glared at Vinny. "That was an expensive vintage, I'll have you know." Rick began.

"Oh stop it, dear, you know it will cut down on Jonathan's drinking." Evy replied.

"Speaking of which, where is he?" Rick asked.

"He got himself put in jail for his own safety." Alex groaned, "Let's just say it involved the usual Jonathan elements..."

"I'll post bail." Godfrey replied, as he and Alex walked out of the town house.

The two men walked until the reached the Traverse Town lockup where a skinny man with about a day's beard growth and brown hair lay on a prison bunk.

"Evy, can't a man have a hangover in peace..." Jonathan grumbled.

"Uncle Jon, we're here to get you out. We just posted bail." Godfrey began.

"Alan," Jonathan said, "Such a pleasant surprise."

"What did you do this time Uncle Jon?" Alex asked.

"You're not going to tell your mum, are you?" Jonathan asked.

Alex rolled his eyes, "Uncle Jon, we won't tell mum, but chances are she already can hazard a guess as to what happened this time."

"It was a high stakes card game..." Jonathan began.

"Say no more." Godfrey replied as the guard let Jonathan out.

"That's how almost every one of your stories begin, Uncle Jon." Alex replied.

"In short nothing has changed." Godfrey replied.

"Well, just the number of pissed off husbands after my womanizing uncle have increased." Alex replied.

"I can hardly believe we're related." Godfrey commiserated.

"I'll have you know I am London's most eligible bachelor and Traverse Town's too." Jonathan replied.

"Also the most hated womanizer in both communities." Alex quipped.

"That's impressive in and of itself." Godfrey replied.

"Listen you," Jonathan replied, smelling strongly of whiskey.

"It seems that whiskey isn't either of your poisons." Alex quipped.

"You're off my Christmas card list, mate." Godfrey replied.

* * *

"The Halliwell witch will be no more." Anck-Su-Namun began, "Once we have lured her to the Book of the Living, we will be able to defeat her."

"What of the O'Connells? Our spies have told me that one of the _Morrowind's_ number is a relation of theirs and that they have already consulted them." Imhotep replied.

"It is of no consequence, my love." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"Arrogance has cost us our dreams before when facing the O'Connell's, on both occasions." Imhotep replied, "I don't intend to make that mistake again."

"We won't fail this time. The Charmed One will be destroyed, and so will any threat she might pose." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"But what of the O'Connell's?" Imhotep replied.

"They are of no consequence." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"Leave them be for now." Imhotep replied, "We will deal with the Halliwell witch first, and then I will settle all matters with the O'Connells."

"Of course." Anck-Su-Namun replied, with a wicked smile, "But should we not kill two foes at once."

"If the O'Connells align with the Charmed One, then we risk facing the combined forces of two dangerous foes." Imhotep replied, "Let us leave the O'Connells out for now."

* * *

"I'll meet you back at the _Morrowind._" Godfrey replied, as he saw his friends off, "I just want to talk to my relatives."

The rest of the crew headed back to the Morrowind as Rick led Jonathan back to his room. "I wonder what your friend, Prue is planning." Evy asked.

"I don't know, exactly." Godfrey replied, "However, I feel it's foolish."

"What does she stand to gain from such a scheme?" Evy asked.

"It's Andy. He was an old boyfriend of hers who sacrificed his life to save her almost a year after she discovered she was a witch. He was resurrected almost two weeks ago by Maleficent. And he's a clone that can only live for two weeks." Godfrey replied.

"And Prue desperately wants to save him?" Evy asked.

Godfrey nodded and Evy picked up something from the silence, "You have feelings for, don't you?"

"That's not important." Godfrey replied, deftly attempting to maneuver round the situation.

Evy was having none of that. "It could be, Alan." Evy replied, "Prue may be needing your help if this plan goes badly."

"If this plan goes badly we'll be lucky to be alive." Godfrey replied.

"I have faith." Evy replied,"Have you told Prue how you feel about her?"

_What a hell of a question at a time like this? _Godfrey thought, "No, I haven't."

Evy looked at him knowingly, "At least tell her how you feel for her. It will get everything off your chest."

"I hardly think there's time for that in the middle of a bloody war." Godfrey replied.

"All the more reason you should tell her." Evy replied.

"And risk losing her as a friend." Godfrey snapped.

"If you tell her and the two of you wind up together, then there's no going back to being friends anyway." Evy replied.

"Alan, you could die at any moment fighting in this war." Evy replied, "For Prue's sake, at least let her know how you feel for her. Who knows, you could be walking away from the love of your life."

"Right when she's worried about Andy's safety is the last time I should tell her." Godfrey replied.

"I didn't say go back to the _Morrowind,_ take her in your arms and pour out your heart." Evyreplied, "I'm saying that you should tell her, somehow. Again, who knows unless you try, she may come around one day and realize there's more than a friendship to be had with you."

"I'll keep that in mind, Aunt Evy, but we've other matters to worry about." Godfrey replied.

* * *

TBC 


	3. I Have A Will

I Have A Will But I'm Lost Inside Your Time

Disclaimer: Same as before...

* * *

"Ah, Mr. Godfrey, it appears it is a large army and a small one." The nasal tone of Captain Ronald Merrick echoed in the briefing room of Allied HQ, Traverse Town.

"It has been a long time since Mayapore, sir." Godfrey replied, with a very reserved tone of voice, "With all due respect, sir, what are you doing here?"

"I was transferred from the India-Burma Theater shortly after my tour with the Mirbat Guides Regiment." Merrick replied, "And how has Independent Airship Duty been for you, Mr. Godfrey? I'm told you keep interesting company, a witch, an insane inventor, an Indian among them."

"Yes sir." Godfrey replied, irate at Merrick's snide tone. _It's only that rank insignia that keeps me from punching you out. _

"I can see there's no love lost between us." Merrick replied.

"More than a little, sir." Godfrey replied. _After all, you struck a bloody prisoner all because you were jealous that Daphne Manners favored him over you. And you have the nerve to put a letter of reprimand into my record over this..._

"I did what I had to, Mr. Godfrey." Merrick replied.

"Past matters aside, sir." Godfrey asked, "Why was I summoned here?"

"You are aware that the Mersa Matruh sector has been heavily contested for the past two months." Merrick replied.

"Yes sir, the Germans sent Bengal Rifles into a full retreat two weeks ago." Godfrey replied.

"The Germans pulled back from that sector last week, after the Bengals regrouped and the 4th South African Armored Battalion reinforced them." Merrick replied, "Instrumental in helping the Bengal Rifles and South African Armored units was a force native to the area known as the Medjai."

"I remember hearing rumors of them from other blokes. Especially from D'Artagnan. Apparently the SAS tried to recruit the Medjai to help them conduct raids on German supply lines and airfields, but they weren't able to find them." Godfrey replied.

"Well, they seem to be simpler to find now." Merrick replied, "Your mission is to make contact with the Medjai and see to it that they assist with the war effort against the Germans and Heartless."

"Yes sir." Godfrey replied.

"HQ insists you're the man for the job, after all, your aunt, uncle, and your cousin all have had prior dealings with the Medjai." Merrick replied.

Merrick left the room shortly after the briefing had concluded. Godfrey walked out of the room, going to a corner of the commons where soldiers and officers of all Allied nationalities were clustered. Every week, casualty reports would be posted in alphabetical order.

"Poole, what the hell are you doing here?" Godfrey asked, and noticing Poole's rank of major, added, "Sir."

"Apparently a man can never be too old to be taken into service, if he is a doctor." Poole replied.

"Where are you serving?" Godfrey replied.

"Currently our medical unit is supplanting the 1st Battalion of the Bengal Rifles." Poole replied.

"I heard of a major action where the Bengals got driven back." Godfrey replied.

"That was true. The Afrika Korps came at us with everything they had, same with the Heartless." Poole replied, "I barely slept twenty minutes a day for four days, because so many wounded kept coming in before they forced the regiment into a full retreat. Then we went on a counteroffensive with the South Africans."

Both men stared at the casualty list, "Mitchell Hallam?" Godfrey asked.

"Dead, last week." Poole replied, "An artillery strike followed by the Luftwaffe followed by a full scale armored thrust hit the area where his unit was stationed."

"Where was he?" Godfrey asked, inquiring after one of the Mayapore Constabulary's longer serving book keepers.

"The command post sustained the heaviest assaults. He was last seen running out of the post with a rifle in his hands…" Poole replied, "They say that God's going to have a hell of a time putting him back into one piece when it comes time for the dead to be resurrected."

"Ankur?" Godfrey asked.

"They sent him into the Mirbat Guides in Burma. He's still healthy." Poole replied.

Godfrey replied, "Too many blokes I know, that I went to school with, played rugby on sports afternoons with, or served in the constabulary with on these damn reports."

"_Mid the fray see dead and dying. Friend and foe together lying. All around the arrows flying. Scatter sudden death." _Poole intoned somberly, a verse of the song Men of Harlech.

"May Britain win the field." Godfrey replied.

"For all our sakes and all the casualties we've suffered, I sorely hope so." Poole replied, with a tired sigh.

"Speaking of which, I still have that bottle of whiskey you gave me before I left Mayapore…" Godfrey replied.

"Music to my ears." Poole replied.

* * *

"Prue, as well intentioned as your plan is, I have to say as the captain of this vessel that it's suicide." Kolopak began, "For starters, the temple you described is in Mersa Matruh, which is German occupied territory."

"D'Artagnan, you've conducted raids behind German lines before…" Prue began.

"Imhotep will likely be heavily protected by both Heartless and German forces." D'Artagnan replied, "A raid will be difficult if not impossible."

"We can at least discount a heavy German presence in the area." Godfrey remarked, as he stood in the doorway arch.

"Why is that?" Kolopak asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Simple," Godfrey replied, "Detachments of the Eighth Army drove the Afrika Korps from the region almost a week ago."

"Is that section of the front stabilized?" Kolopak asked.

"From what I was briefed on, the Afrika Korps is licking its wounds, with the 91st Panzer Division suffering heavy casualties." Godfrey replied.

"See," Prue insisted, "We can make it there?"

"But that doesn't necessarily mean that we should go there." Milo interjected, "Imhotep could just have ordered the Afrika Korps to retreat…"

"To entrap one person? It seems a bit excessive to withdraw a few miles." Bertha remarked.

"Let's not forget Prue is a Charmed One." Donald interjected, "If Imhotep had any opportunity to destroy her, it would be in trying to save her beloved."

"I'm sorry, Prue, but we just can't do it." Kolopak said, "The risks to all of us far outweigh the gains."

* * *

"Will this scheme succeed?" Hades remarked.

"If it's like any of your schemes, probably not." Megara quipped.

"Must you bring that human lap dog into this chamber?" Oogie Boogie remarked.

"Watch it you bag of stitches." Megara remarked.

"There's always room for one more inside…" Oogie Boogie countered.

"Someone needs to go on a serious diet Bug Breath." Megara remarked, waving her hand in front of her face, "Not to mention try eating a few breath mints."

"Watch it sister!" Oogie Boogie remarked.

"Meg, darling, as much fun as it is to torment Bug Breath here, I still need you for a few favors so do me a favor and try not to annoy him so much." Hades replied.

"Ha ha ha, Bug Breath." Pain and Panic laughed.

"However, you two will do nicely to tide me over..." Oogie Boogie replied with a venomous expression.

"Eh heh heh, we meant that in a complimentary sense…." Panic replied.

"Yeah," Pain replied, "I mean bugs are a new age healthy diet…"

"I could thing of some nice supplements…" Oogie Boogie replied.

"You two really got in some hot water this time," Meg intoned, "Or should I say hot bile."

"Our colleague, though I use the term loosely," Jafar replied, "Brings an interesting point. The two incompetents with you, I can understand, but this lap dog of yours…"

"Meg does a lot for my operation, Jafar." Hades replied.

"Certainly, a rather attractive lap dog though," Jafar replied with a predatory grin, "so I can't entirely fault you."

"This 'lap dog' has teeth, mister." Megara snapped.

"Saucy, spicy. I like spunk in a woman. And I love ironing it out of her." Jafar replied.

"Perhaps another time," Hades replied.

"I would enjoy it." Jafar replied. Megara felt her skin go cold.

"Now onto the subject of our bait." Oogie Boogie supplied, "Imhotep's not too happy."

"Hey, what's that crack all about!" Hades snapped.

"Well, it concerns your guarantee that you could lure the witch and her friends to Imhotep's trap." Oogie Boogie replied.

"You mean Andy…" Hades replied, "I'll have you know I risked my ass to be hunted down by several pissed off Whitelighters for light fingering his soul from their cushy version of the Afterlife."

"Well it doesn't matter," Oogie Boogie replied, "Kolopak's ship hasn't lifted off from the Traverse Town Airfield. Imhotep is pissed."

"So now you're Imhotep's little stooge, eh?" Hades quipped, "Quite the promotion…"

Oogie Boogie left the meeting in a huff. _Soon. Soon you will all regret giving me grief since we started this. I will get my share of respect, with the Source's blessing…_

* * *

"Prue?" Grams asked as she appeared in her room.

"Grams…" Prue replied, wiping a tear from her eyes.

"I know you don't want to lose Andy, but maybe this idea to steal the Book of the Dead from Imhotep is foolish." Grams replied.

"I have to try, Grams." Prue replied.

"But would you sacrifice Kolopak? Or Doc? Or Milo?" Grams replied, "Or Godfrey?"

"No, of course not, they're my friends." Prue replied, "But I have to try."

"Of course you must." Grams replied.

BOOOMM!

The wall of Prue's quarters shook violently just then. "VINNY!" Prue shouted as she flung the door wide open.

"What has Vinny invented this time?" Grams remarked.

"A work of certified genius." Vinny replied, indicating a shoebox sized device on his left shoulder.

"And what is that thing?" Prue asked, "It looks like you swiped a shoebox and put several explosive devices in it."

"It's a bottle-rocket shoulder salvo with self lighting fuses." Vinny replied.

"Can you test that thing anywhere but the hallway?" Prue replied.

"Uh, no. The RAF guys outside described to me in graphic detail what would happen if I tested anything else on the airfield…" Vinny began.

"Well let's say what a witch can devise is worse than what a bunch of pissed off Royal Air Force mechanics can device for punishment…" Prue began.

"Uh oh…" Vinny replied as he felt the self-lighting fuses lighting up on his reserve rockets in the quiver at his side. Vinny scrambled to open the case, but Prue used her telekinesis to hold the lid shut.

BOOM!

"What's Vinny invented this time?" Bertha remarked, as she sipped at her tea.

"Who knows." Godfrey replied, "And honestly I don't want to find out."

BANG! CRASH! WHAM!

"I AM A GENIUS!" Vinny shouted as he ran by the recreation room with Prue hot on his tail.

"YOU ARE DEAD!" Kolopak and Doc both shouted, as they raced out of the storage closet, smelling strongly of smoke.

"So when are we going to see you again?" Bertha asked.

"I'll come back to Traverse Town when I'm done in Egypt. I am not putting you at risk to run afoul of Imhotep. I've got my orders." Godfrey replied.

"I think Vinny testing contraptions at all hours of the day and night will be perfect preparation for the frontlines." Bertha replied.

BOOM!

"Donald, I warned you that Mandrake root can be unstable at times…" Goofy began as both soot covered characters crawled out of the Magic Room, a small space that Donald set aside for Prue and Sora to practice the use of magic.

Donald immediately walked over to the wall, turned around and banged his head against it.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"I've got ten pounds that he makes it past twenty." Godfrey began.

"You're on." Bertha replied.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"Is there anyone on this ship that isn't involved in this 'Donald knock himself out' betting pool?" Prue asked.

"I would be hard pressed to find anyone." Godfrey replied, "Kolopak won the pot last week, forty pounds it was up to…"

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHUMP! CRASH!

A picture fell from the wall and landed squarely onto Donald's head. The wizard promptly struck the ground unconscious.

"I'll get the aspirin." Bertha replied.

"Not to mention the ten pounds you owe me." Godfrey replied.

"I'll wager twelve pounds on the next one." Kolopak replied, "On twenty-five hits…"

"I'll say one thing, Kolopak, they could never accuse you of running an uptight ship." Prue remarked.

"Sometimes I wish I ran a tighter ship…" Kolopak grumbled.

FWOOSSHH! BOOM!

"SUCCESS!" Vinny shouted.

"You run a tight mad house though." Prue remarked.

"Remind me to weld the hatch over Vinny's lab shut for eternity." Kolopak grumbled.

"I won't just remind you," Prue remarked, "I'll help…"

* * *

"Strange, isn't it?" Andy began, as he watched the sun set, "How you appreciate everything whenever your time grows short."

"Don't talk like that, please." Prue replied, "We can fix this."

"I heard Kolopak's dead set against it." Andy replied.

"Andy, if we have to, we'll steal a plane ourselves and fly to Egypt ourselves." Prue replied.

"Prue, you know you're not thinking straight." Andy replied.

"And you know I'm not giving up on you and letting you die." Prue snapped.

Andy gently wiped a tear from her eyes, "Prue, I've come to terms with my lifespan being short. I don't want to die in vain, knowing you went off on some fools errand."

"Since when do you start sounding like Kolopak?" Prue replied.

"Since I figured out Imhotep would anticipate you trying to snatch the Book of the Dead to keep me here. Prue I don't want to see you get hurt." Andy replied.

"You're already seeing me hurt." Prue replied.

"Have you ever considered maybe this isn't meant to be?" Andy replied.

"Andy, I'm not giving up on us." Prue replied.

"Look, Prue, I don't want to die either. And if you could somehow extend my lifespan from three days to a normal life span I would appreciate it, but not at the price of your life and the lives of everyone else."

Little did Prue realize someone listened to their conversation. Anck-Su-Namun crept silently through the shadows. If the witch could not be lured to Egypt by those tantalizing lures Imhotep had dangled, then patience be damned. It was time to light a fire under this group.

* * *

"To the Bengal Rifles." Poole began, raising a shot glass in his hand.

"Here here." Godfrey and Jonathan replied raising their own.

"To the makers of the finest whiskey of the Crown." Jonathan said, raising his own glass.

"Here here." Godfrey and Poole sounded, and taking yet another hit.

The radio in the corner of the pub made a broadcast, "To the soldiers of Great Britain, we salute you. You are what stands between us and the Nazi juggernaut."

The solemn notes of God Save the King began to echo into the bar. "God save our gracious king. Long live our noble king. God save the King..." A choir in far away London began.

"To George V, may he long reign." Poole replied, "At least some continuity in this wave of change would be appreciated."

"I have heard things in India seem a bit troubled." Jonathan replied.

"That's not the half of it." Poole grumbled, "Civil disturbances, the Quit India Movement and Gandhi's blokes are getting active."

"Hopefully we don't lose the Jewel of the Crown." Jonathan replied, "What do you think, Alan. You served as a constable there for years."

"I hope these Quit India blokes keep the noise down until we've driven the Japanese and Germans off." Godfrey replied, "That's all I have to say."

"_What the devil is going on in here?" came a shout from the doorway. _

"_I'm questioning Miss Manners' rapist, Mr. Godfrey." Merrick replied, turning to see him, "Don't make me regret my having made you XO." _

"_The hell you aren't!" Godfrey replied, indicating Kumar's bowed head, "This is the Holy Inquisition all over again." _

"_Mr. Godfrey, we are officers of the law to preserve good order in this town on the Indian frontier." Merrick replied, "We are to uphold justice." _

"_Justice?" Hari replied, "Mr. Kumar needs medical attention. Once he is attended to, then he can be questioned."_

"_It is for the sake of expediency. Mr. Lockwood would have understood that." Merrick replied._

"_Unlike the late Mr. Lockwood, I don't simply tow your party line." Godfrey replied._

"_There's a reason that you weren't chosen as my exec, and I'm seeing that now." Merrick replied, "You're interest in the pursuit of justice is lacking, as is your respect for authority, as evidenced by your confrontational attitude." _

"_You call this pursuit of justice?" Godfrey demanded. _

"_You will use the proper tone when speaking to your superiors, Mr. Godfrey." Merrick warned._

"_Yes sir." Godfrey replied, practically spitting out the second word._

"_Now, I would hate to enter a letter of caution into an otherwise clean record, but your recent behavior has been inexcusable. I would hate to call the magistrate over this." Merrick replied._

"_On what grounds, sir?" Godfrey replied. _

"_On the charge of insubordination, of which this incident is the latest. Your insistence on defending the Indian side of the river was a foolish decision, so a charge of incompetence could be added to your record." Merrick replied._

"Send him victorious. Happy and glorious. Long to reign over us. God save the King." The lyrics echoed through the bar, as several British soldiers joined in the singing.

"Godfrey?" Poole asked.

"What?" Godfrey replied, "My apologies, my mind wandered a little." Godfrey replied.

"Well, another shot will insure your mind will wander off a little more." Poole replied.

Jonathan drained his next shot, "Fill me up too." Jonathan replied.

The three men drank until their bottle was almost entirely drained before stumbling out after last call.

"What am I going to do with you three..." Alex groaned when he found Jonathan passed out on a bench, with Poole lying against a light post while Godfrey was staggering in the wrong direction towards the airfield.

"Not again." Prue groaned, as she walked onto the scene.

"What do you mean? This has happened before?" Alex asked.

"When I first arrived on Mayapore," Prue began, "There was one night where Godfrey and Poole decided to take shots of whiskey. He and I half dragged Poole to his bungalow, and Godfrey barely made it to Lady Chatterjee's house where I was staying. He was in no state to go home."

"That sounds about similar to Alan's university days." Alex replied, rolling his eyes, "He can stomach ale well enough, but when it comes to harder liquor..."

"Alex, I think you and I will definitely get along." Prue replied as she helped drag Poole towards the temporary barracks near the airfield, and Alex got Jonathan, while they kept an eye on the mobile yet somewhat intoxicated Godfrey.

* * *

Anck-Su-Namun stopped the car a short distance from the O'Connell's town house. The _Morrowind's _crew wasn't taking the bait. Perhaps abducting Evy O'Connell might be just what was needed. Rick would comb heaven and earth for his wife, and he would certainly badger Kolopak into chasing them to Egypt. There was no way Kolopak would be so heartless as to ignore a hostage, especially with Rick badgering him.

* * *

Evy O'Connell walked into the townhouse. The lecture on the Egyptian Necropolis had left her feeling drained and exhausted. The Bainbridge Scholars had been begging her to do the Traverse Town lecture circuit. At first she'd disagreed, but when Alex had joined the Army and was being sent to the replacement depot in Traverse Town, she made all due haste and raced over there.

Evy noticed a note on the coffee table, "Mum and Dad, I've gone back to camp, my pass expired. Love, Alex"

Evy read the note aloud. Rick ran into a couple old friends outside the University lecture hall, and said he was going to be a bit late coming back. All that she wanted to do right now was sleep, having been up since six o'clock, getting everything ready.

She heard a rustling inside the house and spun round, expecting a threat, but instead seeing their black and white cat, Isis letting out a meow and walking across the floor. "What are you doing up, Isis."

"Hisss..." Isis replied.

Evy spun round, finding herself face to face with a very familiar red robed figure. Evy gave him a solid knee kick to the groin, causing him to fall and stagger. No time to worry about it. Four more enemies, obviously members of Imhotep's cult were closing in on her. Evy launched a sweeping kick, a rather daunting feat in high heels and skirt no less, knocking the next thug into the other, causing both of them to fall into one another and onto the glass table, cracking it solidly.

As she punched another man in the mouth, the first one that she'd kicked in the naughty bits was slowly rising to his feet and stealthily creeping up onto her. He clamped a rag soaked in a sweet smelling substance onto Evy's face. _Chloroform..._ Evy thought. With that dawning realization she passed out and felt herself being tied up and dragged away...

* * *

"What have you done!" Imhotep demanded of Anck-Su-Namun.

"I have brought the _Morrowind's _crew where you want them, my love." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"With help from the O'Connells, the last people I want involved in this!" Imhotep demanded.

In the torchlit chamber, Evy O'Connell was on her knees, still groggy, with chains holding her wrists over her head to the wall. A large black band of silk was tied over her mouth, holding a rag inside it.

"We will be able to handle them." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"Are you certain." Imhotep replied, "They have defeated us many times."

"But they, like the witch, will be driven by emotion and desire to save their loved ones. Prue is desperate to save Andy, and Rick will be desperate to save Evy. We can overcome them, if we ourselves remain clever." Anck-Su-Namun replied, tickling the underside of Imhotep's chin, "And the _Morrowind_, even now is preparing to depart for Egypt..."

"Perhaps it is to our advantage. We can kill two birds with one stone, provided this one will not sing..." Imhotep replied, as Evy frantically shook her head, tugging at the chains and making inarticulate noises from behind her gag...

* * *

TBC 


	4. Just How Far I'd Travel

Just How Far I'd Travel, Just How Far I'd Go

Disclaimer: Same as before…

* * *

"Kolopak," Rick O'Connell began, without much of a preamble, "We need to take off…now."

"Mr. O'Connell, last time I checked, this was my ship." Kolopak began.

"What's wrong, Uncle Rick?" Godfrey asked, as he walked into the room, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Evy's been kidnapped." Rick replied, "And I suspect Imhotep was involved in all this."

"All the more reason that I shouldn't go." The old Indian calmly replied.

"Listen buddy, if my wife is harmed, God help you all." Rick replied.

"Kolopak, we could well be advantaged by this." Godfrey replied.

"This is unusual." Prue commented, "A while ago, you were hell bent on stopping me from a 'suicide mission' as you called it."

"A while ago we didn't have Uncle Rick and Uncle Jonathan helping us." Godfrey replied.

"How does that change things?" Prue began.

"They've vanquished Imhotep twice." Godfrey replied, "It's obvious."

"And you have new orders, don't you?" Prue asked, "The British Army ordered you to Egypt."

"I had those orders all along, Prue, but I was going to have to leave you guys for a while to carry it out." Godfrey replied.

"Leaving without a goodbye?" Prue replied, pulling Godfrey into a side corridor.

"No, I had a note written regarding it." Godfrey replied.

"What were those orders?" Prue asked.

"Classified." Godfrey replied.

"Godfrey, almost everything regarding World War II is 'unclassified' in my timeline." Prue replied.

"Well, it's reality in mine." Godfrey replied, "And some aspects of that reality are classified."

Prue noticed Godfrey had some letter in his right hand, "I suppose those are classified too?"

"Unless you count the latest news from Mayapore as an intelligence coup, no." Godfrey replied, with a slight grin.

Despite herself, Prue smiled, aside from the Heartless attack on Mayapore there were some good memories of the place, "How is Daphne?"

"Funny you should ask, she sent this to me, dated two weeks ago." Godfrey replied, "She's into the second trimester, staying with her aunt at Rawapindi. Somehow she managed to pull a family connection that got Merrick sent to the Traverse Town post and soon to the North African theater with the 1st Battalion of the Mirbat Guides."

"How clever of Daphne." Prue remarked.

"Well, until you run into Merrick later on." Godfrey grumbled.

"Still." Prue replied, "So Bahrat's kept an eye on her?"

"Well the Japanese and the Heartless have gone nowhere near Rawapindi, it's too far behind British lines for a raid." Godfrey replied.

"What of Hari Kumar?" Prue asked.

"He got caught at a Quit India rally, and what with the anti-British sentiment they're throwing around India, they typically wind up detained indefinitely." Godfrey replied.

"It sounds like Britain's losing it's empire in this reality too." Prue replied.

"I'm surprised a lot of blokes don't seem to realize it." Godfrey replied, "I mean for all our control of India, we're losing influence among the natives."

"Treating people like second class citizens in their own country will do that." Prue replied.

"Not all of us are Ronald Merricks, Prue." Godfrey replied.

"Of course not." Prue replied, "It just seems like the Alan Godfrey's of Mayapore were heavily outnumbered by the Lockwoods, Merricks, and Yorks of the town."

"Those of us who try to ensure equal justice are either seen as naive like Daphne or stubborn outsiders like me." Godfrey replied.

"That's not fair. Daphne isn't naive." Prue replied.

"I didn't mean in an entirely negative sense. I'm saying she wasn't affected by the entire British versus Indian divide, especially considering her unorthodox choice of relationships." Godfrey replied, defensively.

"And that's bad because..." Prue began.

"The British side of India has a tendency to be rather unforgiving to those who form liaisons with the natives, such as Daphne's." Godfrey replied, "God knows, I don't agree with it, and I haven't for a long time, but there's only so much I can do."

"The Edjali case?" Prue replied.

"The one that earned me Merrick's disfavor." Godfrey replied, with an irate tone.

"Sorry, where I come from there are quite a few interracial couples." Prue replied.

"And society tolerates them?" Godfrey asked, incredulous.

Prue replied, "Mostly. It's not nearly as frowned upon as it is in your time."

"That's really the only source of Daphne's problems." Godfrey replied, "All the prim, proper ladies of Mayapore keep thinking it a scandal. They just give Daphne a hard time about it, and after she became pregnant, they asked her if she would keep the baby."

"Did she keep it?" Prue asked.

"Of course she did." Godfrey replied, "But she's ostracized by polite British society because of that."

"That's something about your world that I can't understand." Prue replied.

"I can't explain it either." Godfrey replied.

"WAAKKK!" Donald shouted, "VINNY!"

Donald stormed down the hall with a severely pissed off expression on his face. "Donald, what happened now?" Prue asked.

Donald turned away from Prue and Godfrey and the two of them could see what looked like a pincushion with the sharp ends of the pins pointing outwards. The pincushion sported four tiny mechanical legs and a clock winder at the rear.

"What is that thing?" Godfrey asked.

"Remind me to test explosive potions on Vinny next time." Donald grumbled.

"This might hurt a little." Prue warned and narrowed her eyes, yanking the pincushion from Donald's rear end.

"WOUCH!" Donald shouted, "That didn't hurt a little! That hurt a lot!"

"Hey guys have you seen my mechanical porcupine?" Vinny asked.

"Your what?" Prue asked.

"Mechanical porcupine." Vinny said as he walked around the corner.

"Why you..." Donald began and came running at Vinny. Godfrey grabbed the wizard's collar and yanked him back about a foot.

"Is this normal?" Jonathan asked as he came around the corner, having observed Donald's rant and Vinny's invention.

"That's nothing." Prue quipped, "You should've been around when Vinny invented the walking cherry bomb."

"The what?" Jonathan asked.

Just then a cherry bomb mounted on mechanical legs with a lit fuze wandered down the corridor behind Jonathan.

"Look behind you, Uncle Jon." Godfrey replied.

"Oh no, not again!" Vinny shouted as he chased after the walking cherry bomb as it wandered down the corridor before exploding around the nearest corner.

"Why would someone want to invent walking cherry bombs?" Jonathan asked, bewildered.

"Easy. Due to insanity." Prue replied.

"Vinny." Rick said, as he came around the corner, covered in soot, "Prepare to die."

"HELP!" The Italian bomb maker shouted.

"NO! DON'T KILL VINNY! LET ME GET A FEW WHACKS IN FIRST!" Kolopak shouted.

"NO! I REALLY WANT TO TORTURE HIM FOR ALL THOSE LUNATIC INVENTIONS!" Donald shouted, "THUNDER!"

ZAP!

"YEOW!" Vinny shouted.

Godfrey sat down on the nearby couch and cracked open the book he was carrying under his left arm.

"You're going to read at a time like this?" Prue asked.

"Of course." Godfrey replied.

"What are you reading?" Prue asked after about five minutes.

"The Book of One Thousand and One Nights." Godfrey replied, "Stories of some of the greatest tricksters of the East."

"Ali-Baba and the Forty Thieves, Aladdin and his Lamp, Scheherazade saving herself with stories. Certainly inventive people." Prue began.

"Exactly. Which says those 'savages' as my people regrettably call the people of the East, are far more clever than we give them credit for." Godfrey replied, "It's amazing how clever people can be when forced by circumstance, as the tale of Bak Bak will attest."

"Bak Bak, you mean the story of the hunchback who died choking on a fish bone, and the people who were his hosts tried to hide the body and five other groups of people tried to hide the body several times." Prue replied.

"One and the same." Godfrey replied.

"And Ali Baba whose wife outwitted thirty-nine thieves, the meanest bandits in all of Syria..." Prue began and in mid sentence paused, "Alan Godfrey, you're a genius!"

"Excuse me?" Godfrey began putting down his book, "I appreciate the compliment, but what brilliance are you crediting me with."

"I'll explain later." Prue replied, standing up and giving Godfrey a quick peck on the cheek. _Why did I just do that? _

Prue was unaware that Andy had seen the entire exchange. Why had she done that?

"What was that all about?" Andy asked, from behind Prue.

"What? Andy, it wasn't what it looked like." Prue protested.

"So I didn't just see you kiss Godfrey on the cheek?" Andy replied, incredulous.

"Yes I did, but..." Prue began before Andy cut her off.

"How long was it him instead of me?" Andy cut in, "Was our relationship some kind of sick joke? Couldn't you have the decency to wait till I was dead first?"

"Damn it Andy!" Prue began, tears in her eyes, not bothering to wipe them away, "If I didn't love you, why would I be hellbent on going after Imhotep for that damned Book to save your life!"

"If you loved me I seriously doubt you'd go and give Godfrey a peck on the cheek!" Andy replied.

"If you loved me, you'd trust me." Prue replied.

"Trust is earned, Prue." Andy replied, walking away.

* * *

"So you think Prue is acting strange around you?" Doc began.

"Well, if that peck on the cheek counts as strange behavior, yes." Godfrey replied, "Do you have any cure for demonic possession, or ways to detect infiltrators, or knowledge of shapeshifting Heartless?"

"Mon dieu Godfrey, you're pathetic." D'Artagnan quipped.

"You're just a bit more pathetic than me, mate, considering I beat you on the last boxing smoker." Godfrey replied.

"Don't remind me. I think it was the biggest mistake in the world that you guys bought boxing gloves in EPCOT and started holding boxing smokers in the cargo hold." Doc replied, "There was blood all over the gloves from you two."

"Because of my superior French fighting prowess." D'Artagnan replied.

"Bollocks." Godfrey countered.

"I agree, Godfrey knocked you out at round seven. With a very mean right hook I might add." Doc replied.

"He was lucky." D'Artagnan replied.

"The boxing matches draw almost as much money as the pool of Donald knocking himself unconscious." Godfrey replied.

"Well, if I wanted to fluster Godfrey I merely have to mention Prue." D'Artagnan remarked

"Wanker." Godfrey remarked.

"Point made." D'Artagnan replied.

"Will you get off it." Godfrey replied.

"Why, it is always so much fun to bug someone who..." D'Artagnan began.

"Armand. Shut your trap." Doc replied, "And no, Godfrey, there's no such thing as a shapeshifting Heartless. And I seriously doubt Prue is demonically possessed. And if Prue was an infiltrator of some kind, it's one hell of a way to throw you off."

"Couldn't you, mon ami, even consider the fact that she might have some sort of attraction towards you." D'Artagnan replied.

"Mr. Romance strikes again." Godfrey replied, "I'm not really her type."

"I beg to differ." Doc replied, "I mean, you're male and she's female."

"It's a bit more complicated than that." Godfrey replied.

"You both are on the smart side." Doc replied.

"OK, so both of us have a love of history." Godfrey replied.

"You both have your share of issues." D'Artagnan replied.

"Watch it." Godfrey muttered.

"Not to mention you two are already close friends. What's one more step..." Doc replied.

"There's also the matter of age." Godfrey replied, "I'm thirty-three and she's twenty-nine..."

"Will you stop being such a...a how you say...pansy." D'Artagnan replied.

"There are plenty of couples with bigger age gaps that are perfectly happy. And it's not as if you're old enough to be her father." Doc replied.

"Doc, you're a lot of things, but a romantic was the last thing I'd expect you to be." Godfrey replied.

_

* * *

_

_Why did I do that? I love Andy...That's why I'm going after Imhotep. I love Andy. Right? _Prue replied as she walked through the hallway of the Morrowind.

_But Godfrey and I have been getting to be pretty close over these past few months. I mean, since Mayapore..._Another voice in Prue's head replied. _And besides, he cares about you. But is it just as a friend? I mean we argue like siblings all the time. _

Prue wasn't watching where she was going when she walked right into Kida, with the baby in her arms. "Oh, I'm sorry." Prue replied.

"You seem troubled." Kida replied.

"Of course I am." Prue replied, "I'm racing against the clock to save Andy's life, risking my life, and then he practically accuses me of cheating on him."

"Ah, the incident with the peck on the cheek." Kida replied, knowingly.

"Does the entire ship know about this?" Prue replied.

"Well, Andy wasn't in the best of moods." Kida replied.

"Have you seen him?" Prue replied.

"I'm sorry to say but you're the last person he wants to see right now." Kida replied.

"Oh my God..." Prue groaned, "I really screwed this up."

"How long ago were you and Andy separated by his death?" Kida asked.

"Almost three years ago." Prue replied.

"OK, a lot of time has passed since then, obviously." Kida replied, "Don't you think Andy's in your past."

"He was my first true love." Prue replied.

"But you're not the same woman you were three years ago." Kida countered, "You're conflicted aren't you…Andy walks back into your life shortly after you're reincarnated somewhere you don't understand entirely."

"More or less." Prue replied.

"And it's a conflict between two men." Kida replied, "On one hand, your first love and on another hand you're feeling an attraction to another man."

"This is a hell of a time to bring this up." Prue began, "And who is this 'mystery man' might I ask?"

Kida smiled enigmatically.

"What?" Prue replied, "What are you thinking? What are you going on about?"

Kida walked off, her grin still enigmatic.

Prue followed demanding, "What are you going on about?"

"I believe you already know." Kida replied.

* * *

Andy really felt like a jerk for how he'd treated Prue, it wasn't like he'd caught her in bed with him. Girls do give friendly pecks on the cheek occasionally to close friends, and she was a good friend of Godfrey's.

"Hey buddy, what's up?" a voice said.

Andy spun 'round just in time to see a figure with flaming blue hair, and darker blue skin. Flaming hair meant just that. The man's hair was literally fire.

"Who the hell are you?" Andy asked.

"I'm the guy that helped ensure you're breathing." Hades replied, "I'd be a bit more grateful."

"You work for Maleficent…" Andy replied.

"And you've got about three days left to live before you die, again." Hades replied, "Yada yada yada."

"Yes, I know that." Andy replied.

"And you also know that Prudence Halliwell, your one and only, may not be your one and only. Maybe she's catching time with a certain Alan Thomas Godfrey." Hades replied.

"They're just friends, and why should I trust you with anything?" Andy replied.

"Good point. I work _with_ Maleficent, not _for_ her, as you erroneously began." Hades replied.

"We can argue semantics all day." Andy replied, "I'd be happy to keep insulting you."

"Wow, so I suppose you don't want to know what's running through Prue's mind right now." Hades replied.

"What makes you think I'd believe what you say?" Andy asked.

"Absolutely nothing." Hades replied, "But I know what you're thinking…I must say that little number is quite becoming on Prue."

"OK, you can see inside my head…" Andy replied, "And you know what I'm thinking…"

"And Prue…" Hades replied as he gestured towards Andy.

**It felt like he was seeing the world through Prue's eyes hearing her thoughts in his head…**

**_Why did I do that? I love Andy...That's why I'm going after Imhotep. I love Andy. Right? _Prue replied as she walked through the hallway of the Morrowind.**

**_But Godfrey and I have been getting to be pretty close over these past few months. I mean, since Mayapore..._Another voice in Prue's head replied. **

"How long?" Andy asked.

"Since she knew him I guess." Hades replied, "So I'd settle this matter immediately if I was you…" Hades replied, and then he vanished.

Andy hit the nearest wall with his fist and then he turned on one heel and headed down the hall. He was going to have it out with Prue and Godfrey once and for all…

* * *

"Kolopak, Imhotep has my wife, and I'll be damned if I let him kill her." Rick replied.

"And I will be damned if I put my crew at risk." Kolopak replied.

"The Morrowind is the fastest way I have to get to Egypt." Rick protested, "And we'll pay you anything you want."

"There is no way I am going anywhere near Hamunaptra." Kolopak replied, "The City of the Dead is where Imhotep is the strongest."

"It's behind Allied lines now, you can get help if you need it." Rick protested.

"I understand your concern for your wife's safety, but it will do Imhotep no good if he kills her." Kolopak replied, "He stands to gain nothing."

"Do you think Imhotep will wait idly?" Rick asked, "If he doesn't hear from us, he'll attack us again and I'm not risking any more family members."

"And this ship and my crew, especially Sora, I will not risk falling into Imhotep's hands." Kolopak replied.

"But we have defeated Imhotep twice." Rick replied.

"And yet he has appeared. This time he has the help of the Axis powers and the Heartless." Kolopak replied, "And he is now waging a campaign against the worlds."

"And we have allies." Rick replied, "The Medjai…"

"It's true." Godfrey said, as he entered the room, "They've been a help in the Eighth Army's pushing the Germans out of that part of Egypt."

"They've been fighting to keep Imhotep contained for centuries." Rick replied, "And they likely know his weaknesses, better than I do."

"That evens the odds in our favor." Godfrey replied, "Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Rick have faced Imhotep twice, and the Medjai are a secret society devoted to fighting him. This could even the odds in our favor."

Kolopak contemplated for a long while, he had experienced help now on his hands, to counterbalance a very emotional witch. Godfrey was a cooler head in this situation, and he knew Jonathan and Rick fairly well. And there was the thought that time was on Imhotep's side and he could only avoid for so long.

"Get packed now." Kolopak said, "We're going after Imhotep."

* * *

TBC 


	5. If You Could

If You Could, Would You Come With Me To the Other Side?

Disclaimer: Same as before…Sorry I've not updated this in a while. I suffered from a serious case of writer's block for this story.

(break)

"Prue answer a question, and answer it honestly." Andy began as he stalked towards her.

"Andy?" Prue began, raising an eyebrow, "What's this about?"

"Just how long was it Godfrey and not me?" Andy demanded, his voice rising, "Was our relationship some kind of sick joke?"

"What? Are you serious?" Prue replied.

"I've never been more serious about anything in my life." Andy replied.

"I can't believe were back to this again." Prue replied, "Can't you see I'm risking my life to save you."

"Then what was with that kiss earlier. Don't tell me it was some innocent 'peck on the cheek' because I'm not buying it..." Andy replied.

"Then I don't know what else to tell you, Andy." Prue snapped back, "Because it is the truth, it was an innocent peck on the cheek."

"Then explain why you have this chemistry with him." Andy demanded.

"We're just friends." Prue protested.

"Since when do friends plant little kisses on each other's cheeks?" Andy replied, harshly.

"Andy, I can't believe you'd act like this, after all I'm doing for you!" Prue replied.

"I can't believe that you're being unfaithful to me while trying to save my life. What am I, a kind of safety raft in case Godfrey doesn't work out?" Andy snapped back.

"I never thought of you like that, Andy, damn it! Can't you see I love you!" Prue replied.

"Where's your proof?" Andy replied.

"If you want proof, look at my tears, because that's all the proof you're getting." Prue replied as she stalked off.

(break)

"We're crossing into contested airspace." Kolopak warned Rick, before asking Godfrey over the intercom, "Any contacts?"

"So far nothing." Godfrey replied, as the_ Morrowind _flew across the Mediterranean over airspace being fought over by the German _Luftwaffe_ and the Italian _Regio Aeronautica_ against the British Royal Air Force.

Vinny was at one of the gun mounts, on the bubble turret of the _Morrowind, _located atop the ship's fuselage. Andy was at the tail gun mount, and Godfrey was sitting behind one of the starboard gun blisters, with two thirty-caliber guns. Milo was at the other thirty-caliber machine gun. Kida was piloting and Kolopak was in the captain's chair.

"I've got a contact, bearing one-eight five, closing fast!" Andy's voice echoed over the intercom.

"Friendly?" Kolopak asked over the voice tube beside his chair.

"Unless we recently made some German allies, I'd say no." Andy replied, and then there was a burst of fire as Andy attempted to shoot it down.

"What is the contact?" Kolopak asked.

"It's got two engines, a shit ton of guns in the nose and a skinny fuselage." Andy replied.

"It's a Messerschmitt 110." Kida replied, "A _Zerstorer_."

"What?" Prue asked.

"Destroyer aircraft. Against maneuverable single engine fighters they're pretty easy to destroy. Against airships, they've got enough speed to catch us and they've got heavy duty guns designed to kill bombers." Kida replied.

There was another burst and the sound of cannon shells smacking into the outer hull, and punching holes inside could be heard. The Messerschmitt flew over the top of the _Morrowind _as Kida made a left turn. The _Zerstorer _matched speeds with the _Morrowind _before raking fire across the back.

Vinny opened fire with the two fifty caliber machine guns in the dorsal turret. Some of the shots hit the German fighter, but it kept flying, while the rear gunner opened fire with the single 7.92 mm machine gun. Bullets smacked into the hull, into the cockpit.

Rick came up the ladderway to the cockpit just then, "Where's the front gun?"

"We don't have a front machine gun position." Kolopak remarked.

"Well let's just hope he doesn't hit us with those 20mm guns in the nose." Rick remarked.

The German fighter looped around for another pass, firing as he went. Prue shut her eyes as shells tore into the cockpit, propelling as many of them as she could control away from the _Morrowind._

The aircraft came up from the sides towards Godfrey's side of the ship and he opened fire with the .30 caliber machine guns, striking the wing of the German fighter, but it kept flying. The German tail gunner raked the dorsal section of the _Morrowind._ Vinny opened fire with the twin fifties, raking the rear fuesilage of the German aircraft, killing the German tail gunner.

The German fighter wobbled a bit as it flew towards the rear of the _Morrowind, _just on the outside of Andy's field of fire. Andy promptly turned and fired a burst at the aircraft, hitting the port engine, knocking it out. The German fighter began to wobble even more, the pilot struggling valiantly with the controls as it flew back towards the Sicilian coastline.

"Damage?" Kolopak asked.

Audrey's voice echoed over the intercom, "We've got several hydraulic leaks in the dorsal section, heavy battle damage to the dorsal tail rudder, and hull integrity is compromised. So far, only minor wounds."

"Who?" Kolopak asked over the voice tube.

Audrey's voice echoed back up, "So far Donald got a shell splinter from a 20mm in a very embarrassing spot."

"Why you -?" Donald could be heard.

"Who else?" Kolopak replied.

"Sora got knocked out by a hydraulic pipe, Doc's already checking him out." Audrey replied, "And Cookie got slightly singed by some water from his cooking pots."

"Kida, steer us away from the Sicilian coast, I'd rather avoid bumping into Messerschmitts every few minutes." Kolopak replied, as the _Morrowind _flew away.

(break)

Sora sat up with a start. Doc had ordered him to be on a 24 hour concussion watch, meaning he wasn't supposed to sleep.

"So Donald got hit in the..." Prue began.

"Prue," Donald said, lying face down, his rear end heavily bandaged, "Please do not bring that up."

"Talk about making an ass out of yourself." Prue quipped.

Donald started to get hot under the collar as Sora chuckled briefly, "Looks like you're going to be the butt of a few jokes, Donald."

"Well at least he can't get up and start beating his head against the wall, like he usually does." Prue replied.

"I've got five pounds riding on Donald breaking thirty whacks." Sora replied.

"Sora." Prue began, "Aren't you a little young to be betting?"

"I'm fourteen..." Sora protested, "And I'm not exactly a normal teenager."

"But you're still a kid." Prue replied.

"Oh come on, Prue, the pool is over a hundred and fifty pounds now." Sora replied.

"And you're not betting." Prue replied.

"Oh come on," Sora protested, "What about you? I mean all the adults on the ship are on the bet. Even Godfrey."

"Oh really." Prue replied, "Well I'm not. I mean it's the most immature..."

"D'Artagnan, five will get you ten Donald exceeds thirty-four whacks." Godfrey said.

"Non, mon ami, he won't make thirty-two." D'Artagnan replied, "But I expect to be several pounds richer by the end of the day."

"You're on." Godfrey replied.

Prue rolled her eyes as Sora yawned sleepily, "Ah ah, don't fall asleep."

"Aww...I'm so tired though..." Prue replied.

Sora's eyes felt heavy. This 24 hours of no sleep was torture, all he wanted more than anything else right now to go to sleep.

"Tell me about your friends." Prue continued.

"Riku, Kairi and I played together for as long as I can remember." Sora began, "Back before the loss of the Destiny Islands, where I lived before the Heartless destroyed them."

"So many people I loved, and knew are gone because of those Heartless. And now I have this magical Keyblade and am the only way they can ever be brought back." Sora continued.

"I can relate." Prue replied, "One day I'm reunited with my somewhat irresponsible youngest sister, I just lost my job, and then all of a sudden I have this power I can't even fathom and find out that evil beings will keep coming after me and my sisters."

"Like the Heartless that keep chasing me around." Sora replied.

"But you're not alone. You've got me to help you out, not to mention Donald and Goofy. Even if trouble seems to always been Donald's tail."

"Ha ha ha..." Donald said, sarcastically, with a sour expression.

"Hey, at least we're doing our part to keep Sora awake." Prue began.

"I could help." Vinny said, as he walked by.

"DON'T YOU DARE!" Prue and Donald both shouted simultaneously.

"I was just offering some help..." Vinny began.

"Vinny, we all know your version of help typically involves explosion, fire, electricity or some combination of all three." Prue began.

HISSSS! BZZZZZ! WHAP! BOOM!

"What was that?" Prue and Sora asked.

"Uh, I think that was my Electric Foot Tangler..." Vinny replied.

"Your what?" Prue asked.

"Electric foot tangler." Vinny replied. "It's a booby trap that shoots out a weighted, electrified cable that wraps around the legs of the intruder, trips him while sending a powerful electrical charge through him. If that doesn't stop him, the charge will also detonate the cherry bombs with electric fuses on both ends."

"So the weights explode too?" Sora asked.

"Point proved. Vinny, does everything you invent have to burn, explode or electrify?" Prue asked.

"I'm a demolitionist extraordinaire," Vinny shrugged, "Sue me."

Rick O'Connell, clothing and hair singed, with an electrical cable wrapped around his ankles hopped into the hallway shouting, "I'll do worse than that! Vinny, prepare to die!"

"Uh oh! Gotta run!" Vinny said, running as the former French Foreign Legionnaire chased him, hopping through the hallway due to the cable around his ankles.

"It's just another day on the _Morrowind, _isn't it?" Sora replied.

"Oh yes," Prue commiserated, "Godfrey tells me that there are so many explosions on the ship that he could sleep uninterrupted through an artillery barrage on the frontlines."

"That's scary." Sora replied.

"If Godfrey gets killed because he napped through a bombardment Vinny and I are going to have a few words." Prue replied.

"So what's the story with you two these days?" Sora asked.

"That's a bit of a long story, Sora." Prue replied, "And it's a personal one to boot."

_For a teenager he is certainly perceptive. I mean he's gotten into one of my bigger issues..._Prue thought to herself.

"Sorry." Sora replied, noticing Prue's slightly pensive expression.

"OW! OW! OW! YEOWW! MERCY MERCY!" Vinny screamed like a schoolgirl.

"Quit screaming you wuss and take your beating like a man!" Rick replied.

"Wow, that will certainly keep me awake." Sora quipped.

"Same here." Prue replied.

"MERCY! SAVE ME! YOUCH!" Vinny shouted.

WHACK! WHAM! POW!

"I see the daily routine aboard the _Morrowind _is going as usual." Godfrey quipped as he walked into the room.

Prue rolled her eyes, "Vinny's mind is feverishly at work."

"With the usual results, I gather." Godfrey replied.

"NO! NOT THE FACE! NOT THE FACE! AUGH!" Vinny shouted.

"Oh yeah." Prue replied.

"I see our little friend is rather spry right now." Godfrey began.

"Oh shut up Godfrey." Sora groaned, wanting more than anything else to fall asleep.

"Oh no you don't." Prue replied.

"I just want to sleep, guys." Sora grumbled.

"You're under observation for that hit to the head you got." Doc began.

"I may be the 'butt' of all your jokes, but at least I'm sleeping soon." Donald replied from the nearby bed.

"Well at least I don't have as many head injuries as you do." Sora taunted back.

"This is true." Godfrey replied, joining in the teasing, "Every so often I hear a 'wham, wham, wham, wham'."

"Usually it's preceded by a 'WAAAAKKKK!'." Prue added, smiling despite herself.

"Not always." Godfrey replied, "It can be preceded by an 'EEEEP!'."

"Remind me to cast a Fire spell on both of you when I've recovered." Donald groaned.

"By the way, Donald," Prue replied, "I've got ten pounds riding on thirty whacks."

"Wait a minute, why are you betting?" Sora complained, "You said I couldn't..."

"The lad has a point, Prue." Godfrey grinned.

"You're just afraid you'll lose the pool." Prue replied.

"Bollocks." Godfrey replied.

"The fact that there's a betting pool as to how long it takes Donald to knock himself unconscious is scary." Doc said as he walked into the room.

"Then there's the insane bomb maker on the ship." Godfrey replied.

BOOM. A cloud of blue smoke with a sweet, fruitish aroma filled the hallway.

"AGH!" Kolopak shouted.

"Where's that insane, demented Italian inventor?" Kolopak said, slowly as he walked into the room.

"Your best guess is as good as mine." Godfrey replied.

"What happened to you?" Prue asked.

Kolopak's gray hair was covered by blue powder, and the same powder covered his face and clothing. In his hand was a blueberry tart with a bite missing from it. Smoke was flowing liberally into the air from the tart.

"Who makes blueberry flavored smoke bombs?" Prue asked.

"The air smells nice, at least." Godfrey replied.

"Godfrey, don't ever say that again unless you want to be permanently on sanitation duty." Kolopak replied as he walked out of the room.

"It seems that Kolopak is constantly being caught by Vinny's inventions." Prue replied.

"You've noticed it too?" Godfrey asked.

"Him or Donald." Prue replied.

"And now Uncle Rick." Godfrey replied.

"And now he has both of them on the warpath after him." Prue replied, "And I thought that this would be a very boring flight."

"You call the German fighter attack boring?" Godfrey replied.

"I meant after the attack." Prue replied.

"Well, you've had Sora to bug the past few hours, and not to mention Donald." Godfrey added.

"But, I could use a rest." Prue replied.

"Will you stop talking about anything pertaining to that portion of my anatomy!" Donald began.

"Sure. Just be sure to remind D'Artagnan to quit putting cigarette _butts_ out in front of the Infirmary." Prue replied.

Donald fumed irritably as Prue replied, "Sorry Donald, I couldn't resist."

"Donald, your glass of warm milk." Doc said as he walked into the room, "Bottoms up…"

"AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!" Donald screamed in frustration.

"Was it something I said?" Doc replied.

"Bugging Donald seems to be such a popular diversion these days." Godfrey replied.

BOOM!

"What exploded this time?" Doc asked.

"Doc, I've long since quit attempting to find out why various things explode on this ship." Godfrey replied with rolled eyes.

"Guys, have you seen my…" Vinny began, shouting from the hallway.

BOOM

"Never mind." Vinny replied, "I seem to be missing several meters of detonation cord and explosive devices though…"

(break)

"Nigel," Natalie said as Nigel answered the door, "Will you stop playing your records so loudly, they're disturbing me."

"I'm terribly sorry." Nigel replied, crossing his fingers behind his back.

"Don't do it again." Natalie said as she walked out.

Nigel thought to himself. _Thank you, Vinny. _Nigel thought.

He put a record into the phonograph and a very nice rendition of the 1812 Overture complete with percussion began to play…

Natalie walked back to her room, ready to enjoy a nice bubble bath. She could hear the echoes of the 1812 Overture. _Nigel I thought I told you too… _

BOOM! The flower pot on the kitchen table exploded.

"What the –?" Natalie began.

Two walking cherry bombs walked out of a cabinet and promptly exploded at Natalie's feet. Her bathrobe caught fire and Natalie threw it off. She was still wrapped in her bath towel, fortunately.

BOOM! Another explosion blew out all the windows in her dwelling. The drafty air caused her hanging plants to shake slightly. The shaking hanging plants caused several swinging Tarzan Cherry Bombs slid down the hanging plants and exploded, blowing gigantic holes in the ceiling.

Through the hole in her window, Natalie could see Nigel casually waving a conductor's stick as though he were directing an orchestra.

"At least my flower boxes are intact." Natalie thought aloud, thinking of her tulips.

At the crescendo of the orchestra several tiny little bottle rockets came flying out from underneath the soil of the flower boxes, thinly buried underneath. Natalie's barely clad state and wrecked apartment were visible for all to see with the rocket's red glare.

"I will not kill Vinny. I will not kill Vinny. I will not kill Vinny…." Natalie began as she paced, "Whitelighters are not allowed to harm people…."

"Oh no…" Natalie groaned when she saw half a dozen walking cherry bombs heading for her.

She ran wearing nothing but a towel into the Whitelighter Citadel with several walking cherry bombs coming after her.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Bomb after bomb exploded as she ran, waking or disturbing Whitelighters all over the place. "Natalie?" Elder Gideon said, "What is that God awful…Oh no…"

"RUN!" Natalie shouted, "RUN!"

Gideon and Natalie ran down a sidestreet right into a stack of boxes labeled Nitro Glycerin.

"Oh no." Gideon groaned as the Walking Cherry Bombs cornered them

BOOM! BOOM! BLAM! BLAM! POW! WHACK! KABOOOM!

The resulting explosions threw Gideon on his back with Natalie, barely covered by the towel, on top of him.

"No funny ideas." Natalie said.

"I am insulted that you would think such a thing." Gideon replied. _Just what do you have planned Friday night, my dear… _

You're insulted. I'm equally insulted that you could be so base. Natalie thought.

BOOM

Another walking cherry bomb exploded, and a flower pot fell from a nearby windowsill, depositing itself squarely on top of Gideon's head.

Natalie shook Gideon saying, "Gideon? Gideon, are you alright..."

CLICK.

Natalie looked up, just in time to see Puck, the mischievous satyr standing a few feet away with a camera.

"EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!" Puck shouted, in the manner of a London newsboy, "NATALIE AND ELDER GIDEON ARE AN ITEM! EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS HERE!"

"WHAT?" Natalie demanded, furiously, as she chased after Puck who ran away laughing.

"Urk..." Gideon said as he sat up just as another flower pot landed squarely on his head.

Meanwhile, Nigel calmly leaned on his walking cane. Two Gremlins appeared on his shoulder and he said, "Thank you gents. I appreciate your handiwork. I must admit, I found the flowerpots to be a lovely touch. Especially considering they're Elder Gideon's prized petunias. He should realize that right about..."

"AGGGGGHHHH!" Gideon screamed as he tore at his hair.

"Now." Nigel said, with a smug laugh as the Gremlins returned from whence they came.

"MY PETUNIAS! MY PRECIOUS PETUNIAS! I'M GOING TO ERASE THAT INSANE ITALIAN LUNATIC FROM THE EARTH!" Gideon shouted.

(break)

"The _Morrowind _is on the way." Anck-Su-Namun began.

"And the witch is weakened." Hades replied.

"How so?" Oogie Boogie demanded sarcastically, "Did you strip her powers away?"

"I just messed around with her emotional side. For all her super-witching, Prue is vulnerable to that which makes all humans vulnerable." Hades replied, "And the fact that she tends to repress things to appear strong makes her all the more vulnerable."

Hades waved his hand over the crystal ball. Prue was sitting alone in the _Morrowind's _observatory, staring out at the stars, dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief. Andy was walking away, a hard and stormy expression on his face.

"I will be able to defeat the witch from there." Imhotep replied.

"Do not underestimate the power of the heart, Imhotep." Maleficent began, "It was the love for Anck-Su-Namun that inspired you to rise from the grave not once, but twice."

"And let's not forget led to his downfall as well, on two separate occasions." Jafar remarked.

"At the hands of the O'Connells, who, if I'm not mistaken, are currently accompanying the _Morrowind's _crew." Oogie Boogie replied.

"And the Medjai still pose a threat." Jafar added.

"Pfah." Imhotep replied, "Our German allies have brought in a unit to supplement the _Afrika Korps_. Are you familiar with the _Fallschrimjager_?"

"The Luftwaffe paratroopers?" Jafar asked.

"They took Crete from the British in 1941 despite being outnumbered and having less organic firepower." Imhotep replied, "They are one of the more effective fighting units the Germans field. And they travel light enough to chase the Medjai raiders down."

"The Medjai, especially led by Ardeth Bey are proving to be a real thorn in our operations in North Africa." Jafar said.

"With reinforcements for the _Skorpion _Regiment chasing the Medjai, and the fact that I hold a friend of theirs as a captive means we can eliminate both the Medjai and the _Morrowind's _crew." Imhotep replied.

"Explain." Maleficent began.

"Well, Ardeth Bey is the most powerful leader of the Medjai. He holds the most sway." Imhotep replied, "He is also a close friend of the O'Connells and they will certainly ask for his help. He would be glad to be of service to his old friends."

"Not to mention, old boy," Hades replied, "That I've sown some discord between Prue and Andy."

"Big deal, how does that influence things?" Oogie Boogie demanded.

"Easy," Hades replied, "Prue's powers are tied to her emotions, and they're running amok now if my scheme has played itself out the way I envisioned."

(break)

BOOM!

"I thought the only explosions around here were caused by Vinny." Godfrey said.

Prue turned around just then, "You could have knocked."

"Your door was open." Godfrey replied.

"And you invited yourself in." Prue replied.

"I heard something explode, Prue." Godfrey replied, "So of course I'd be concerned."

Prue gave him a look and Godfrey replied, "Of course if there was an explosion in any other room I'd be just as willing to check on the occupant."

"Except Vinny's?" Prue asked.

"If there were no explosions coming from Vinny's room, then I'd be concerned..." Godfrey began.

BOOM!

"HA! HA HA! IT'S ALIVE! IT'S ALIVE!" Vinny shouted.

"BUT YOU WON'T BE FOR MUCH LONGER!" Kida screamed, "DIE! DIE!"

"More potions?" Godfrey asked.

"My powers have been kind of weird lately, I figured I could use all the help I could get." Prue replied.

"How about other help." Godfrey replied, "Things with Andy haven't exactly been at their brightest."

"How do you know that?" Prue asked.

"The whole bloody ship knows, Prue." Godfrey replied.

"I just don't know why he's so insistent that I'm cheating on him." Prue replied.

"I don't either." Godfrey replied, "We both know you've got eyes only for him."

_I don't know if that's really true anymore. _Prue thought.

"If you need anything, or anyone to talk to, I'm just down the hall." Godfrey replied.

"Thank you, Alan," Prue replied, "You really are a good friend."

_I only wish I were more, but now's not the time. We'll be landing in less than twelve hours and we've got one hell of a fight on our hands against Imhotep, and any nearby Nazi forces._ Godfrey thought.

"I'd best be getting to my battle station." Godfrey replied, "Allied air control in this sector's still a bit dicey."

Prue watched him go, conflicting emotions going through her mind. _It's a good thing that he respects that I'm with Andy. But do I really want to stay with Andy? He's been getting kind of possessive lately...Oh hell, what am I saying, he's gotten really possessive of me. And then there's Alan, part of me is glad he's being a gentleman about this, but part of me wants him to pursue..._

(break)

TBC


	6. This World is Never Enough

This World is Never Enough

Disclaimer: Same as before...To my loyal readers I am sorry. Writing this part has just been a writer's block factory.

---

"_Tongues of fire on Idris flaring, news of foe-men near declaring, to heroic deeds of daring, call you Harlech men." _The broadcast of Radio Cairo to the British Eighth Army could be received by the _Morrowind's _crew as the airship neared Egypt.

"What's that?" Prue asked.

"That's the regimental march of the Welsh Regiment." Godfrey replied, "Their 3rd Battalion's already been deployed to the Desert."

BOOM!

"What's Vinny blown up this time?" Prue replied, rolling her eyes.

"Who knows?" Godfrey replied, "It could be almost anything."

"We're getting ready to land and Vinny's still screwing around with devices?" Prue asked.

"One thing's for sure we're all getting to be rather proficient at any number of skills." Godfrey remarked.

"Such as?" Prue asked.

"Fire fighting." Godfrey replied, as Audrey ran down the hallway with a fire extinguisher.

"OW! OW! OW! OW!" Vinny could be heard screaming and Doc ran down the hallway.

"Burns, shock and trauma treatment." Godfrey continued, ticking off a second example on his fingers.

"Not to mention breaking up fights." Prue replied.

"I've broken up more fights here than I ever did when I was with the Indian Constabulary Service in Mayapore." Godfrey replied.

"Now I know what Piper felt like whenever she had to break up fights with me and Phoebe." Prue replied.

"Turnabout is fair play." Godfrey quipped.

"We're going to land soon and Vinny's still screwing around with his inventions?" Prue asked.

"In his defense, they helped us protect EPCOT." Godfrey asked.

"With a lot of collateral damage." Prue replied.

"Blame the Germans, Italians, and Japanese for trying to take over the park." Godfrey replied, "Vinny did manage to help the American 1st Infantry Division clear World of Motion of all those barricaded German and Italian soldiers with several walking cherry bombs."

"And then there was that not so nice EPCOT official that thanked us for our help in protecting EPCOT, but asked us to give them plenty of advanced warning when we come back." Prue asked.

"He wasn't too happy to run afoul of Vinny's electrified floorplates, was he?" Godfrey asked.

"Why Kolopak lets him have free reign of the ship, I'll never know." Prue replied.

"Let's hope Vinny's inventions help us against the swarm of Heartless I _know_ Imhotep is going to summon against you guys." Godfrey replied.

"You're not going with us?" Prue asked.

"I've got to go and convince the Medjai to help the British Army." Godfrey replied, "We need to keep the pressure up on the Afrika Korps so they can't push any deeper into Egypt."

"Be careful out there." Prue began. _I don't want anything to happen to you. Where the hell did that come from?_

"Likewise." Godfrey replied. _I would really hate for something to happen to you. Where the devil did that come from?_

Prue stared at Godfrey for a little longer than need be as he headed down the corridor where Doc, Alex O'Connell, and D'Artagnan were waiting for him. She watched as the three men loaded themselves down

with weapons, ammunition and supplies from the armory as the _Morrowind _prepared to touch down on a British airstrip.

"Prue, I've been looking all over for you." Donald said as he trundled down the corridor.

"Donald, now's not a good time..." Prue began. Godfrey waved as he turned the corner and Prue felt a strange sense of forboding.

"Will you forget the angsty witch line for ten minutes!" Donald replied, as he continued to run forward.

"Donald, you don't want to go there." Prue began.

"Look, right now we're going to face Imhotep! I don't care about your issues or anything like that..." Donald replied.

"No, I mean you don't want to go there." Prue replied.

"Prue, this is..." Donald began right before he stepped on the electrified floorplate, sending several thousand volts coursing into his body, "BBZZZZZZZZZZZZ!"

Prue used her telekinesis to move Donald off the plate and the Royal Wizard was sitting on his butt with singed feathers and spitting smoke from his beak.

"Gawrsh Donald," Goofy said, as he came running with his Smasher Shield in his hands, "You really should be more careful..."

Goofy tripped suddenly, dropping his shield on the ground. Goofy bent down to pick up the shield when Prue began, "Goofy, you might not want to touch that...That floor plate is..."

Goofy didn't hear her and touched the shield, only to be promptly shocked. "YOWWWWW!"

"...electrified." Prue finished.

"What the hell on this ship isn't rigged to explode, electrify, or inflict blunt force trauma?" Andy asked.

"Nothing I can imagine." Prue replied.

BOOM! "AGH!" Kolopak could be heard screaming as he went into the refrigerator for a soda, and promptly set off a lemon scented smoke bomb.

"Vinny prepare to die!" Kolopak shouted and ran, chasing the scared Italian down the hallway.

The ship began its landing process, hovering before setting down onto the RAF airfield. The landing legs extended onto the tarmac and the engines powered down.

Godfrey, Alex, and D'Artagnan walked down the gangplank towards a trio of waiting British vehicles.

"God luck you guys." Prue began, to herself.

---

Godfrey gave one final wave to Prue before heading to one of the modified British trucks. "Leftenant, follow me." A British soldier in rumpled and well worn desert fatigues, and an oil smeared brown officer's cap with a scorpion badge said. An M1 Thompson sub machinegun slung on his right shoulder showed signs of a lot of use.

"Captain Edward Tisdale, Long Range Desert Group." The British soldier said.

"Lieutenant Alan Godfrey, His Majesty's Royal Indian Engineers, sir." Godfrey replied.

"Right, so you're trying to find the Medjai." Tisdale said, and turning to D'Artagnan said, "And I'm sure you're aware of the fact that the SAS hasn't been able to find, let alone convince the Medjai to fight for our side."

"Yes sir." D'Artagnan replied, "But that's because they're damn near impossible to find."

Tisdale added, "The last three patrols attempting to find them either came back finding nothing or didn't come back at all. I've lost good men on Intelligence's fool's errand."

Three British LRDG vehicles with modified tires, and bristling with .303 caliber and .50 caliber machineguns were waiting at the edge of the tarmac. Godfrey, D'Artagnan, and Alex boarded the vehicles. As the airfield got smaller and smaller, Godfrey chambered a single .30 caliber round into his M1 Carbine and took no further glances back. For the time being, what mattered was finding the Medjai and convincing them to help the British Army fight off the Germans and the Heartless.

D'Artagnan chambered a round into his M1 Thompson, checking the 20 round magazine to make sure it was properly seated in the weapon. At any time they could come under attack. On this sector of the front, Allied control was still contested. The Germans were frequently launching raids or local counterattacks on the British forces, trying to keep them off balance. Then there were frequent Heartless incursions.

Alex glanced around the vehicle, trying desperately to conceal his nervousness. Every inch of him, from his tousled blonde hair and beardless face to his freshly issued desert fatigues screamed 'newcomer'. He cycled the bolt on his Enfield No.4 rifle, chambering a bullet and glancing from face to face on the truck. The faces told stories of scorching days and freezing desert nights. Scraggly beards, hard eyed stares, rumpled or oil stained fatigues, well used but clean weapons and dark suntans completed the picture of veteran desert fighters.

Alex noticed that none of the veterans wore the khaki tropical shorts he was wearing. Even Godfrey wore long pants. "You might want to get a new pair of trousers." D'Artagnan said, from behind him, as he crouched beside the .303 machineguns.

"Why? A lot of the RAF blokes…" Alex began.

"The RAF blokes have tents and shelters to retreat to in _haboobs_." D'Artagnan replied.

"What's a _haboob?_" Alex asked.

"A sandstorm." Godfrey replied, "A particularly intense sandstorm."

"One that'll make the skin on your legs go bloody raw." Tisdale added.

Alex continued to glance around at the vehicle's occupants, at their feral gazes, as they looked around for threats from either above or over the horizon. At least one machinegun was aimed at the sky, in case of _Luftwaffe _aircraft that had killed off several vehicle patrols.

---

"_Major Thorvald, Herr Oberstleutnant."_ The aide said, saluting.

_Oberstleutnant_ Heinz Osnabruck nodded, finishing the last of his rations. Major Johann Feldstatden walked into the tent.

"I'll get right to the point, major." Osnabruck began, "My army is not designed for this sort of fighting. Yesterday, yet again, I had to promote fifteen sergeants to replace officers killed in Medjai raids. These Medjai are demoralizing my men. Time and again they kill sentries, sneak into officer's tents and kill them, and blow up supplies."

"Damn good for men who fight on horseback and use old rifles." Thorvald replied. He was an intense man, with a sharp, hard edged gaze. Almost all of his hair had gone or had faded to a silver tone.

"You are a leader in one of the _Luftwaffe's _finest formations, the _Fallschrimjager_. Parachutists. Death from the skies." Osnabruck began, "The presence of your troops is raising the morale of my own."

"I've come to take things in hand, sir." Thorvald replied, "Hopefully to free up your unit to take the fight to the British as opposed to ragtag desert tribesmen."

"Major, these 'ragtag desert tribesmen' are really formidable opponents. It takes time to fight them." Osnabruck replied.

"We will see, sir." Thorvald replied, as the Major walked from the tent.

----

"Andy, can I ask you something?" Kida asked.

"Sure." Andy asked, as he watched the sun set on yet another day. _Only two more days left for me to live. _

"Why do you think Prue is cheating?" Kida asked, "Can't you see how much you've hurt her?"

"She does have some attraction to Godfrey, I can see it." Andy replied.

"True." Kida replied, "But she's been nothing but loyal to you, in fact she's doing everything conceivable to extend your life."

Kida got right to the point. He had been so ridiculous with all this jealousy. He had to find Prue as he headed back for the ship.

Just then an air raid siren sounded. The RAF personnel around the field scrambled to man battle stations, firing anti-aircraft guns into the skies. Andy dived into the nearest trench as a pair of German Ju-87 Stuka dive bombers attacked the airfield, dropping a single 500 lb. bomb onto a fuel depot, flinging debris and a large fireball into the air.

Flying an escort position near the lumbering Stukas was a trio of Messerschmitt 109 fighters. On sighting the _Morrowind, _they dived towards the ship in a strafing run, shooting holes into the hull and setting a couple fires. The German fighters banked and kept flying upward when one of them suddenly exploded.

Diving out of the sun were three Hawker Hurricane fighters from the RAF's No.14 Squadron. One of the Hurricanes opened up with its eight .303 guns, ripping into the Messerschmitt, rupturing the fuel tanks and causing the German fighter to explode, debris smashing against the _Morrowind's_ hull.

The second Messerschmitt turned towards the Hurricanes, firing its own weapons, and stitching a line of holes into the side of the RAF fighter before it turned west in a straight run. The damaged Hurricane and one other fighter banked sharply to chase the two Stuka bombers that were climbing away from releasing their bombs. The third Hurricane chased the Messerschmitt BF-109 away from the airfield. With its superior speed, however, the Messerschmitt was able to outrun the Hurricane.

The Stukas were now without fighter protection and because of their slow climb rate, the Hurricanes were able to easily catch them. From behind one of the Hurricanes opened fire, the concentrated firepower of eight .303 machine guns ripped the left wing off the German bomber, causing it to spiral out of control into the runway where it rolled a few meters before turning into a flaming wreck.

The second Stuka was now the sole target of the two Hurricane fighters who opened fire almost simultaneously, blowing the fuel tanks to ribbons. Creeping behind the two Hurricanes was the third Messerschmitt, which opened fire causing one of the Hurricanes to catch fire, and the landing gear to deploy. The Hurricane wobbled before plummeting straight down and exploding into the desert.

The third Hurricane turned towards the Messerschmitt, firing its own weapons into the 109, causing flames to start spewing from the aircraft. The 109 nearly spiraled earthward, but at the last moment the German pilot managed to level the wings and head back towards German territory, as the slower Hurricane broke off pursuit.

Andy climbed out of the trench peering up at the many fires all over the airfield. The RAF ground crews were trying to extinguish burning wrecks and contain fires. A British sergeant glanced at Andy and said, "They always do that. Attack installations in small raids, very rarely do we get really big attacks."

Andy headed to the _Morrowind_ just in time to see one of the hatches open and smoke stream outward. Kolopak, rifle in hand, ran towards Audrey and asked, "Report."

"Hull damage on decks one and two." Audrey began, "We've got the number three engine damaged, but I've managed to put out all the fires. I'm desmoking all the spaces now as we speak."

"Repairs?" Kolopak asked.

"We're gonna have to do some serious trading with the Brits, or scrounging wrecks in the No-Man's-Land for parts to fix the engine up." Audrey replied.

"Batteries?" Kolopak asked.

"Damaged. Two hundred amps forward, three hundred aft. I can jumper out the damaged cells for about a hundred and twenty amps fore and aft." Audrey replied.

"Go to it then." Kolopak asked, "Casualties?"

Doc came out of the ship and said, "No serious casualties. Kida and Milo were thankfully off the ship with their baby. Other than that, Bertha fainted during the firefighting effort; I've got her in the RAF medical tent right now."

"Doc, Audrey, take care of our people and the ship." Kolopak began.

"I'll have her up and running, but I'll need some help." Audrey replied.

"Mole you and Cookie, give Audrey a hand." Kolopak began, turning to the short French tunneling specialist.

Grumbling because he was being left behind, Mole reluctantly agreed. "Find anyone who doesn't have a Keyblade or magical powers and arm them. We also need people to stay with Audrey and Lal." Kolopak continued, "We need to protect the baby and get the ship running again."

"What about you guys?" Audrey asked.

"Bertha, myself, Andy, Vinny, Prue, Donald, Goofy, Milo, and Sora will join the O'Connells search for Imhotep." Kolopak replied.

"You're taking _Vinny_ on this mission?" Mole demanded.

"For once Vinny's destructive abilities might come in handy against the army of Heartless we know Imhotep will likely throw into our path." Kolopak replied.

"Would you rather he damage the ship any further?" Audrey replied, "I'm not too happy about being left out of this fight either, hombre, but we have to get used to it."

"We'll stay in touch by the radios on the ship. What's the status on the radio?" Kolopak replied.

"Ship communications are working." Bertha replied.

"Good." Kolopak replied.

"How are we getting to Imhotep's base? For that matter, how are we going to find it?" Vinny asked as he joined the conversation.

"The O'Connells are taking care of transportation…" Kolopak began.

---

"For fourteen camels? That's bloody outrageous!" Jonathan began, waving his arms at the Arab trader. He turned to Rick and said, "Why do you insist on camels when we could try to negotiate for a vehicle?"

"Camels are the fastest and most efficient way to travel across the desert." Rick replied.

"The price is still outrageous!" Jonathan began, "Not to mention the smell."

"What do you suggest, flying? Imhotep will see the _Morrowind _coming a mile away." Rick replied.

"Who was that friend of yours…" Jonathan asked.

"You mean Izzy?" Rick asked.

"He helped us before." Jonathan replied.

"Hmm, you know Jonathan, you may be right." Rick began.

"I have my moments." Jonathan said.

"Not many." Rick quipped, "Let's just hope that Godfrey, Alex, and D'Artagnan are able to convince the Medjai to help us out this time around. In view of the losses they suffered the last two times, they might not be too receptive."

"For all our sakes, I hope our dear friend, Ardeth Bey is still around." Jonathan replied.

---

Godfrey could see his own breath in the cold of the desert night. Half the patrol was asleep in, under, or around the vehicles which were camouflaged for the night by tarps or by scrub brush that the soldiers found. He sat behind the passenger seat of the truck, a round in his carbine's chamber plus fifteen more in the magazine.

Within a day or so the patrol would cross the No-Man's-Land into German territory. In the distance the explosions of artillery could be heard.

"That's our field guns opening up on some German position." Sergeant Flannagan remarked.

"How can you tell?" Alex asked.

"The direction of the sound. And also the guns don't sound like the 88mm guns going off." Flannagan replied.

Alex turned around and saw a burned out German tank somewhere in the distance, one destroyed weeks ago in some long past fight.

"Bloody Desert Rats are good for something after all." Flannagan remarked.

"Hey!" Alex remarked, "That's my unit. Or soon to be."

"You're a tanker then. What's your job?" Flannagan asked.

"I'm a driver, sergeant." Alex said.

"I've seen some of the tank battles around here." Flannagan replied, "Those German Panzer Mk.IVs are formidable opponents. The Afrika Korp's one hell of a foe, lad."

"Tough on the offense, even tougher on the defense. Those 88mm guns will punch through a Crusader or Matilda tank's armor like it was tinfoil." Corporal Winford added.

"To think all of that's waiting just across No-Man's-Land." Flannagan replied.

"Or could be crossing it for all we know." Winford replied.

"To think our efforts are helping hold all that force back." Alex began.

"First of all, Private, you're not part of this unit. You're one of the Desert Rats, the larger 8th Army." Flannagan replied.

"And even if you were, this is your first patrol. Survive one, and you can boast as you do." Winford replied, "And then you'll earn the cap badge of the LRDG."

The soldier indicated the scorpion badge on his desert tan beret. "We've been at this for a while, raiding German and Heartless encampments behind the lines. Blowing up aircraft. Surveying enemy troop movements and supply routes." Flannagan replied.

"And we're damn good at it." Winford replied, giving Alex a stare that sent chills up his spine, "And the truly worthy blokes are buried in soldiers' graves scattered across this desert. Or they're still in the twisted wrecks of their vehicles…"

"I've got movement!" Private Howe shouted.

"To arms!" Came the shout.

Every soldier in the patrol grabbed his weapon and took a position. From behind the dunes came a force of Soldier Heartless and the sound of a vehicle engine could be heard.

Godfrey leveled his carbine, taking aim and squeezing the trigger, knocking down a Soldier Heartless with his first shot. Gunfire came back in his direction, bullets smacking into the side of the truck. Using the Heartless as cover was a German patrol.

Alex ducked underneath the undercarriage of the truck. He wanted nothing more than to dig himself deep into the sand, to hide until all this shooting had stopped. "Damn it! Man your weapon!" shouted Corporal Winford.

Alex crawled out from under the vehicle, heart pounding as he saw the Heartless, hideous glowing eyed monsters from straight out of his nightmares. He squeezed the trigger and then with groping fingers and clammy hands despite the gloves he wore, cycled the bolt and fired a round that blew a hole into the center of the attacking Heartless.

The German soldiers behind the Heartless began to flee back over the dune. A patrol of one vehicle and six men was no match for three vehicles and almost thirty men. The Heartless continued to attack the patrol, providing a shield for the retreating German scouting patrol.

D'Artagnan's Thompson gun blew away the last of the Heartless.

"We've been compromised." Captain Tisdale remarked, "We'd better get moving."

"Agreed." Godfrey replied.

"Get everyone moving. Now." Tisdale remarked. Within minutes, the British patrol continued even deeper into the No-Man's-Land, about to cross the German frontline…

---

TBC


	7. Don't Stop to Look at The Clock

Don't Stop to Look at the Clock

Disclaimer: Same as before...

---

The vehicles continued deeper into the desert, after the shootout with the mixed German and Heartless patrol, Captain Tisdale wanted to put distance between the battle sight and the patrol. Godfrey yawned and stretched, very likely he wasn't going to be sleeping this night, until the vehicles reached a layup point, or a place to hide before sunrise.

Traveling by night was the preferred method to avoid being attacked by marauding German aircraft. Tisdale had learned this lesson from bitter experience. Once a four vehicle convoy had traveled in the morning hours, almost a year ago. From out of the sun came two Junker JU-87 Stuka dive bombers dropping their 500 lb bombs and firing their machineguns into the vehicles. All four vehicles were destroyed and nearly twenty five of thirty men were killed.

Alex glanced out into the moonless desert night. The hardened faces of the other British soldiers in the vehicle showed no tension or worry. Private Howe's eyes seemed to have retreated into his skull, giving him an almost skull-like gaze atop a skeletal frame.

Machineguns and recoilless weapons poked off the trucks at various angles. The soldiers manning the weapons were alert, ready to shoot down any threats encountered. Alex felt the cold desert night wind blowing onto him

---

British soldiers wandered about the airfield, busy with various tasks. They were repairing the damage from the last German air attack, doing maintenance or preflight checks on aircraft, fixing the craters in the runway or carrying ammunition and fuel on foot and in trucks.

"How are we crossing the desert to Ahm Shere?" Prue asked.

"The old fashioned way." Rick said, as he came into view, several camels in tow with Jonathan bringing several others along.

"Camels?" Prue asked.

"What's wrong with camels, Prue?" Goofy asked.

"Well they stink, they spit, they..." Prue began.

"And what is wrong with that, mon amie?" Mole, the eccentric French miner asked.

"Well Vinny doesn't seem to mind the camels at all." Goofy began as the group began loading weapons, water and provisions onto the animals.

"_We three kings of Orient are..." _Vinny sang, carrying a box full of hand grenades, _"Smoking on a rubber cigar._"

As they were loading supplies, Kolopak was smoking a cigar in his right hand. "This is quality tobacco, Vinny...I must admit you have your moments of good taste..."

"Why thank you Kolopak, I paid a good sum to the Royal Air Force supply officer for these." Vinny replied, and then continued to sing.

"Why do I get the feeling the other shoe is going to drop?" Prue asked.

"_It was loaded, it exploded. Now we don't know where we are." _Vinny sang.

BOOM! Just then, Kolopak's cigar exploded. "Vinny," Kolopak began, evenly, "Do you know that most bomb makers tend to die before the age of forty. I will make sure that you don't see your thirty-first birthday..."

"That was my personal touch to the cigar, a little extra oomph..." Vinny said.

"I'm putting a LOT of extra oomph into my punches when I catch you!" Kolopak began.

"HELP!" Vinny shouted as he ran off screaming.

"What the bloody hell was that!?" A British officer in a rumpled, oil stained pilot's uniform asked.

"Just our lunatic inventor, Vinny, creating one of his inventions." Prue replied.

"Well tell him to quit causing explosions around my airfield, he's giving the chaps a sodding heart attack with his bomb making." the British officer replied. From his rank insignia, which Godfrey had taught her to read, Prue could tell he was a Squadron Leader, a fairly senior British Royal Air Force officer. He was a pink cheeked, tousled headed fellow with a gray handlebar mustache and tangled and thinning graying brown hair.

"We try." Prue replied.

"Well tell Kolopak that Squadron Leader Cavendish sends his regards, and also to control his man if he wants to use my airfield to fix his airship." Cavendish began, "I appreciate the fact that you chaps bring us supplies from time to time, warn us about German movements, Heartless attacks and everything else. But I could do without the constant explosions..."

"But you are in a war zone?" Prue asked.

"Yes, but I'd appreciate it if the chaps weren't diving for cover over a false alarm all the time." Cavendish replied, and noticed the cigars in an open satchel on Kolopak's camel.

"HELP! HELP! HELP!" Vinny screamed, "OW OW! OOH OW!!! MERCY!!!!"

"You're lucky I need your insane inventions to fight Imhotep!" Kolopak could be heard yelling over the berm.

"He'll need more than that, Miss." Cavendish replied, "He'll need a bloody miracle to take on Imhotep. If you need air support for your scheme, call on channel 5, and you'll get No.112 Squadron, Royal Air Force on hand if we're in the area."

"Thank you, Mr. Cavendish." Prue replied.

"Squadron Leader Cavendish, Miss..."

"Halliwell." Prue replied, "Prue Halliwell."

"Hmm, I wonder if the old boy wouldn't mind if I took one of these..." Cavendish said, noticing the cigars in the bag on Kolopak's camel.

"I wouldn't touch those if I were you." Prue warned.

"Nonsense, Kolopak and I have been friends for years. He still does owe me for those five Imperial quarts of whiskey I found for him a month ago." Cavendish replied, "He can part with one cigar, surely."

"I'm warning you..." Prue replied.

"Don't be daft. Threatening an officer of His Majesty's Royal Air Force..." Cavendish said as he reached into his pocket for his lighter and put the cigar into his mouth.

"Don't say I didn't warn you..." Prue began.

"Kolopak's a friend." Cavendish replied.

"Your funeral..." Prue replied, as Cavendish lit the cigar...

BOOM!

"What the devil was that!?" Cavendish demanded.

"I tried to tell you, Vinny's been tampering with that batch of cigars." Prue replied.

"NO! WAIT KOLOPAK! LET ME GIVE THIS WANKER A SOLID KICK TO THE ARSE!" Cavendish shouted, forgetting all pretenses of gentlemanly conduct as he scrambled over the dune.

"The pride of the King's Air Force." Rick grunted sarcastically, as he helped load a bundle onto another camel, a large sack with numerous weapons, "Give me a hand..."

Prue blinked a little and helped lift it telekinetically onto the beast of burden.

"You're really handy to have around." Rick replied, "I see why my nephew mentions you a lot in his letters."

Prue couldn't help but blush at the comment, despite Andy's piercing glare. Kida however gave Andy an equally piercing glare.

"WOUCH!!!!" Donald shouted as he stepped on a wind up porcupine.

"Let me guess, one of Vinny's bags?" Jonathan asked.

"Exactly." Prue replied.

"Gawrsh Donald, you'd think you'd be more careful when carrying one of Vinny's bags." Goofy remarked, as he bent over to try and pick the porcupine out of Donald's foot.

CRASH. Goofy's shield landed solidly on Donald's other foot.

"WAKK!!!" Donald shouted, "NEXT TIME DON'T HELP, GOOFY, YOU MAKE THINGS WORSE!!! ARRRGGGHHH!!!!"

Donald headed straight for the nearest palm tree, grabbed either end of the trunk and began to bash his head against it.

"Oh no, not again..." Andy grumbled.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"Donald, I know you're clumsy sometimes, but that doesn't mean that you turn into your King's jester anytime you screw up!" Kida shouted.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

Donald continued bashing his head into the palm tree. "Not again..." Prue replied, rolling her eyes.

"Donald! Stop!" Andy shouted, "At least at twenty-five whacks!"

Prue gave him a dirty look. "What? I wanted to make a few extra pounds." Andy protested, "It was for a good cause! Besides you're in on it too!"

"I was down for twenty whacks." Prue replied.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

By now several RAF ground crewmen and off duty aircrewmen and pilots were standing around, watching Donald make a spectacle of himself.

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

"Donald! Quit going _loco_ man!" Audrey shouted.

"This is bloody hilarious." A British aircraft rigger laughed.

"I agree mate," an Australian anti-aircraft gunner replied, "This is good entertainment."

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! THWACK!

Donald finally knocked himself unconscious. Unfortunately he landed, butt first, onto a rather thorny plant.

"Damn." Prue replied, "I lost by one whack. Bertha, what's the tally?"

"It looks like a three way tie for 150 pounds between D'Artagnan, Godfrey, and Vinny." Bertha deadpanned.

"WOUCH!!!!!" Donald shouted.

"Donald, you could at least be more careful, or relax a little more." Milo began.

"OW! OW! OW! OW!" Vinny screamed as Kolopak and Cavendish were still pounding the daylights out of him.

"OK, I'll break up the coming of the apocalypse over there." Andy said.

"I'll go help with Donald." Milo said.

"Thanks." Prue replied.

----

"Gideon." Nigel nodded courteously as he passed the Whitelighter Elder, the meeting was about to begin.

"Coffee?" Leo offered.

"No thank you." Nigel replied, "I'd prefer water. I think you would too."

At this, Leo turned pale, recognizing Nigel was up to something, "You didn't…"

"I learned a rather interesting recipe for coffee from a rather eccentric old cook on an Army base not like any other." Nigel remarked.

"Nigel…" Leo began, "How much of _the substance_ did you make?"

"A bag or two." Nigel replied, as the Elder Gideon began to sip at his coffee.

"Nigel, what insanity have you concocted this time?" Leo began.

"Zippity Doo Dah! Zippity Eh! MY OH MY WHAT A WONDERFUL DAY!" Elder Gideon sang out, acting entirely out of character, almost as if he was seriously intoxicated.

The other Elders, paragons of Whitelighter dignity and grace, were now dancing about the meeting hall like a gaggle at a heavily alcohol soaked fraternity party.

"Zippity Doo Dah! Zippity EH!" Gideon shouted, "Come on everybody! CONGA LINE!!!!"

The Elders began to dance around in a conga line right out of the meeting hall, making complete and utter asses of themselves, sounding like an army of drunken frat boys.

"Nigel…" Leo warned.

"It appears that I failed to lock the doors." Nigel replied.

"You think."

"Outside inside out! Living la vida loca!" Natalie sang drunkenly as she danced atop a table, singing a horribly off key Ricky Martin song.

"Zippity Doo Dah!!!" Gideon chanted madly.

"Nigel..." Leo said, "You've gone too far."

"I daresay not." Nigel replied.

---

The sun beat high in the sky as the British soldiers took cover under camouflaged tarps, hiding their vehicles under the tarps and under sparse vegetation. Godfrey was one of the few awake, and standing watch. He checked the chamber of his M1 Carbine, making sure there was a bullet in it.

Sergeant Flannagan was sitting behind one of the .303 caliber machineguns on one of the gun jeeps. Corporal Winford was crouched behind a rock, his rifle aimed toward the horizon. D'Artagnan was one of the group resting, napping in the front seat of his vehicle.

Little did this group of men realize that their lives were in the hands of others, not Germans or Heartless. Two black robed men observed the British patrol from a rocky outcropping.

"Shall we signal the others to attack?" one Medjai asked the other.

"They are enemies of the Germans ravaging our territory." The other Medjai replied, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"He is right." A voice sounded.

Both men turned to see their leader, Ardeth Bey, standing behind him. "These British troops are enemies of the Axis and Heartless that plague us. Perhaps they can help us."

Meanwhile, Alex tapped Godfrey on the shoulder when he saw a glint from a rocky outcrop. Almost as soon as he saw the glint the British patrol found themselves surrounded by horsemen in black robes, brandishing rifles and wicked looking curved scimitars. Both sides had weapons aimed at heads and hearts, the suspicious and territorial Medjai had little patience for any intruders on their territory.

"Perhaps you could be of some help." A voice began, "As you can see we could easily have attacked and killed your group at any time."

"Not without serious casualties, _mon ami_." D'Artagnan replied,

"You would all be dead, nonetheless." Ardeth Bey replied, "But we do need your help. German and Italian forces and their Heartless allies have been decimating our territory. We have been raiding and attacking their bases, at times at great cost to ourselves. We could use your help."

"And that is what we're offering." Godfrey replied, "We have plenty of experiences raiding German encampments and sabotaging a lot of their more complicated equipment."

"It seems that the enemy of my enemy is my friend." Ardeth Bey replied, "And we do have a target that we desire to attack."

"Let's discuss this in more comfortable settings, since we seem to be friends now." Godfrey replied.

The Medjai lowered their weapons, as did the British troops before the Medjai led them to a hidden cave deep inside a wadi. The British raiders hid their vehicles in a shallower depression a mile away, leaving a few soldiers to guard them.

"Ardeth," Alex began, "Do you remember us?"

"Of course," the Medjai said, with a wistful look, "you've grown so much, child, but I still remember you as the little boy you once were."

"My mum's been kidnapped by Imhotep, and my Dad and Uncle Jonathan and some others have gone after him." Alex replied, "We need your help."

"Against Imhotep? I'm afraid we cannot help you." Ardeth Bey replied, "He has grown far too powerful for us to directly oppose."

"But we have an ally, a powerful witch. She should be powerful enough to help us fight Imhotep." Alex protested.

"And those Heartless, and the forces of Nazi Germany that he has gathered to his side?" Ardeth asked.

"I believe that is where we step in." Godfrey replied, "We'll assist you in your raids against German and Heartless positions, keep things stirred up long enough for Prue and the others to sneak behind German lines and go after Imhotep."

"But will your friend be powerful enough to directly oppose Imhotep when they do encounter him?" Ardeth asked.

"Let's hope for all our sakes yes." Godfrey replied.

----

"_We three Kings of Orient are, smoking on a rubber cigar. It was loaded. It exploded. Now we don't know where we are!_" Vinny sang.

"Vinny, continue singing that one more time and I guarantee **_I_** will explode." Kolopak replied.

"Well Kolopak," Rick began, "Your cigar certainly exploded last time."

"Will he ever stop singing that infernal and infantile racket?" Jonathan said, hands over his ears.

"Get used to it." Doc said, "It's his favorite novelty Christmas song."

"Any song that involves fire or explosions is likely to become a fast favorite of Vinny's." Milo replied.

"_We three Kings of Orient are smoking on a rubber cigar...It was loaded it exploded. Now we don't know where we are!" _Vinny said, "BOOM! I love that song!"

"He's cracked." Andy remarked.

"Gee, whatever gave you that idea?" Sora remarked.

"He sure doesn't know what planet he's on, ahyuck." Goofy remarked.

"Goofy, _**you** _rarely know what planet you're on." Donald grumbled.

"Donald, with the number of times you bang your head on the nearest wall with frustration I'm amazed you know that planets even exist." Prue quipped and wrinkled her nose.

"You certainly made an ass of yourself when we got shot at by the German fighter yesterday." Andy added.

"Oh Brother." Donald remarked before Sora's camel spit on him, "HEY! WATCH IT!"

"_O. Cigar of Wonder. Cigar of Light. Cigar exploding beauty bright. Westward booming. Cloud mushrooming. Guide us with explosion's light." _Vinny continued to sing atop his camel.

"Vinny, knock it off! It's not even Christmas time yet!" Rick shouted.

"We stopped trying to stop him writing novelty Christmas songs years ago." Kolopak remarked.

"It never worked." Milo replied, "It beats him setting explosions off every fifteen seconds."

"How many Christmas Carols has Vinny permanently twisted with his demented imagination?" Andy asked.

"About fifteen." Milo remarked.

"Hoo boy…"

"They get pretty creative too." Bertha replied, "Things like _Grandma Got Blown Up By A Landmine, Oh Christmas Bomb, and Oh Little Town of Bomblehem,_ among them."

"_Born a bomb on Bethlehem's plain." _Vinny began, "_Fuses I bring to blast it again. Explosions forever. Ceasing Never. Blasts o'er head to rain."_

"Why did Vinny start singing novelty Christmas songs that involve explosions?" Prue asked.

"Two words." Bertha deadpanned, "Sally Torelli."

"Who's she?" Prue asked.

"A girl he met in Traverse Town, her family owns an Italian restaurant there and he was smitten with her. They dated for a while, but her parents didn't approve…" Bertha replied.

"I wonder why?" Andy asked sarcastically.

"She broke up with him on Christmas Eve and he started singing novelty Christmas songs involving explosions immediately thereafter." Bertha replied.

"Where I come from, we call that stalking." Prue replied.

"_O. Cigar of Wonder. Cigar of Light. Cigar exploding beauty bright. Westward booming. Cloud mushrooming. Guide us with explosion's light." _Vinny sang, waving his Tommy gun in the air.

"Vinny, will you shut up right now, we're almost out of British territory!" Donald shouted.

"I can't wait till we get to No-Man's Land and the no talking rule goes into effect." Prue replied.

"_Comp B to offer have I. Explosive putty blows everything high. Blasts and blasting. Debris casting. Explosions up to the sky. O. Cigar of Wonder. Cigar of Light. Cigar exploding beauty bright. Westward booming. Cloud mushrooming. Guide us with explosion's light." _Vinny sang out.

"How many more verses could he possibly have invented?" Andy asked.

"You don't want to know." Bertha replied.

"_Nitro glycerine is mine. It's bitter perfume breathes a life of a gathering boom. Exploding, imploding, booming, burning. Nitro makes all things boom. O. Cigar of Wonder. Cigar of Light. Cigar exploding beauty bright. Westward booming. Cloud mushrooming. Guide us with explosion's light." _Vinny sang.

"Vinny, I say again, most bomb makers die young." Kolopak warned.

"It's a good thing we need you to fight that army of Heartless that Imhotep's bound to have around." Rick said.

"Guys we're crossing into the No-man's Land." Prue warned.

---

"The security at the German airfield is tight, and their guards are definitely on the ball." Godfrey began, "That's why your last raids haven't been the most successful. They don't seem to take the bait."

"But how do you intend to attack the base?" Ardeth Bey asked.

"By making them come to us." D'Artagnan replied, "They know that base is vital to their persecution of your people. They know you will want to attack it at all costs. We can use that against them. Many other German and Italian targets are open."

"Do what you're best at, raid and attack in small groups, hit isolated German outposts and melt back into the desert, like you've been doing." Godfrey added.

"What of your witch friend's attack against Imhotep?" Ardeth Bey added, "Members of his cult have been sighted here in the desert for these past few weeks, and have aligned themselves with the German forces."

"That's how they've been able to track your settlements and destroy them." Godfrey replied, as the group stood amidst the burned remnant of the Medjai camp.

"_Fallschrimjager_." D'Artagnan remarked, "German paratroopers."

"Since they've arrived here in Egypt, the German counterattacks have been most successful." Ardeth Bey remarked, as two Medjai walked by with the body of an elder of their tribe between them.

"The well has been poisoned." A Medjai began.

"We need to stay on the offensive." Tisdale began.

"We cannot fight without water." The Medjai began.

"We'll just have to gain some then." Godfrey replied, "And I know of a German supply depot several miles from here."

"Our horses and livestock are at their limit." Another Medjai began, "The journey will likely exhaust them…"

"But our British friends' vehicles do not need water." Ardeth Bey replied.

"We'll be glad to take some of your blokes along, so you can do what you do best." Godfrey replied.

"A chance to avenge your losses, to take back your land is at hand." D'Artagnan began.

"We will join you." Ardeth Bey replied.

"We'll raid the supply depot, and then we'll show you just what targets are most vulnerable." Captain Tisdale added.

"For our people!" The Medjai shouted, "Harum barashad!"

A small detachment of the British patrol were left with the villagers at the Medjai settlement as they tried to move what they could away from the shattered remnants of their homes.

"Why do I have to stay behind?" Alex asked.

"Alex, this is an equally important part of the mission. We need to show the Medjai they can trust us." Godfrey replied.

"I can fight." Alex protested.

Godfrey put a hand on his cousin's shoulder, "I know. But these people need your help. Who knows if the Germans won't come back for them."

Alex gave his cousin a look, but Godfrey returned it with a stern glare, "That's an order."

Alex felt annoyed as the British vehicles, with their mixed force of Medjai and LRDG soldiers, headed off into the distance.

---

"Herr Leutnant." A German soldier saluted as Leutnant Gunter Weisser, of the 15th Panzer Division, walked by.

"Stay vigilant, private." Weisser advised, "British infiltrators are likely afoot."

"Jawohl Leutnant." The soldier said in a bored tone. Private Herz Ostmann had slept a grand total of three hours each night for almost two weeks at the frontline. And this barely shaven boy, fresh from officer training school was telling him to stand more watch? He was a veteran of the fighting, dammit, but still discipline insured he must obey the rules. Little did Ostmann know that his last moments were at hand, as Weisser walked elsewhere on the base.

A supply truck appeared on the horizon, the black crosses being a dead giveaway that it was a German truck. Possibly that latest shipment of ammunition. Behind it was another truck, a water truck. Ostmann could see the smoke of his own breath as he breathed in the desert night.

The truck stopped at the front gate, and Ostmann returned the driver's salute, letting him onto the base after a cursory look at the vehicles.

From underneath the water truck jumped a Medjai soldier. The last thing Herz Ostmann felt was a blade burying itself into the middle of his shoulders…

German soldiers in the perimeter began falling with the night, blades truncated shouts of alarm before they could warn other, slumbering troops. From the back of the truck came more Medjai who flung the gates wide open.

A German soldier came out of the barracks, rifle in hand, in time to see several black robed figures killing his colleagues left and right. He aimed his weapon and fired the only shot in anger he would fire this night. A black robed figure crumpled to the sand. The German soldier joined him momentarily, his body falling first, followed in short order by his severed head.

D'Artagnan smashed the window of the barracks and flung a satchel charge inside. After diving into a trench, D'Artagnan heard the barracks explode, killing many of the guards. The sound of engines could be heard as the British trucks appeared from behind the nearby dunes.

Godfrey had been in the midst of the fighting from the start, and ran for the nearby water truck as several German riflemen who had survived the explosion and the Medjai sneak attacks were firing at him. Three shots sounded in quick succession and Godfrey glanced round, in time to see three German soldiers falling dead to the ground as a trio of Medjai riflemen opened fire.

The Medjai began to run towards the British and commandeered German vehicles, laden with stolen weapons and ammunition. They set fire to anything that they couldn't carry and jumped onto the running boards of the vehicles as the German supply depot burned in the air.

---

TBC


	8. But I'm Not Giving it Up

1But I'm Not Giving it Up

Disclaimer: Same as before...

---

The Panzer Mk IV smashed into the mud hut, grinding down occupant and structure alike beneath the treads. Following behind it was a column of German infantry shooting down anyone that moved. The orders were explicit, not a single member of the village was to be left alive. This was the penalty for any supporters of the Medjai.

Several meters away a Medjai reached for his sword. Godfrey grabbed his arm, "For God's sake, do you want to turn out like them. Those tanks have open ground, they're at an advantage. We'll get those bastards..."

Screams echoed over the dunes. Cries for mercy. Cries of pain. Both were instantly replied to by gunshots, as the tank motors formed an awful din of this symphony of death and suffering.

Two German tanks and about forty infantrymen were going through the village, following the Medjai Order, a recent directive stating that all Medjai sympathizers were to be killed to the last child immediately.

"My wife is in that village!" The Medjai replied.

"We'll have a chance to kill those bastards." Godfrey added, "But we can't just cavalry charge two tanks."

"We can blow them up, my friend." Ardeth Bey assured his distraught kinsman.

"The captured Panzerfausts." D'Artagnan remarked, "We got a few of them from that German supply depot. I know how to use them."

"We can teach the Medjai how to use them as well." Godfrey whispered.

"Panzerfausts?" one of the Medjai asked.

"The tubular weapon with the explosive charge in the front." Godfrey replied, "It's an anti-tank weapon."

The Germans continued their reprisal on the village, machine gunning livestock, shooting villagers, smashing buildings with their tanks. They were opening up underground shelters, tossing grenades inside and then spraying the interiors with automatic fire before entering and dispatching any survivors with rifle butts.

Two other Germans were tossing chemicals into the nearby well, poisoning the water source. Several of the Germans were going at their task with focused intensity. Many of them had been subject to too many ambushes by the Medjai, had seen too many friends impaled on the ends of Medjai swords, had been caught off guard in too many raids.

"I am a stone in your sling, Allah…" The Medjai whose wife had died in the village began, "Give me a Nazi to tear apart…"

---

"Donald." Prue began, "You might want to be careful with any bags Vinny has packed."

Prue blinked her eyes lifting a heavy weighted, electrified net off of a severely singed Donald. Donald blew a puff of smoke from his beak as he continued to help unload the various bags as the group hid inside a wadi.

Distantly the sound of British and German tanks dueling could be heard. Artillery fire sounded, rumbling in the distance as well.

"How are we going to get inside the temple?" Prue asked, noticing the heavy stone door blocking theentrance.

Vinny's eyes lit up then, "Can I blow it open, Kolopak? Please?"

"Vinny, why do you think we brought you along. If you can't blow down that barricade, no one can..." Kolopak replied.

A gleam appeared in Vinny's eyes just then as he dug through his many bags of demolition kit.

"Why do I feel like you've created a monster Kolopak?" Rick O'Connell asked.

"Because I probably have."Kolopak sighed, "You've seen how much Vinny enjoys blowing things up."

"I don't think I'll ever get the smell of gunpowder out of my good suit..." Jonathan groaned, "Especially considering Vinny exploding something on the _Morrowind _almost every day."

Vinny was whistling a cheerful Italian aria as he was carrying armloads of demolition equipment to the stone door, putting explosives in drilled holes, dynamite at the corners and yards and yards of demolition cords and putting blasting caps on charges. "Ah that American Composition B and C4 compounds are some of the best explosives I've had to work with..." Vinny mused.

"Oh God, Vinny, don't blow the entire temple up." Andy replied.

"Knowing Vinny, that's a distinct possibility." Kolopak groaned, exasperated.

"Vinny, are you ready to blow the door down?" Prue asked.

"One moment, but first I must set a few mines outside in case the Germans come by here..." Vinny replied, indicating the sounds of fighting that were creeping closer and closer.

"The one time in my life I'm glad that we have Vinny around." Prue mused as the demolitionist eagerly set to work.

---

"Godfrey, are you sure this is wise?" D'Artagnan asked, "Risking our necks to help the Medjai look for revenge against German tanks?"

"If we're to get them to help us out, then that's the best way." Godfrey replied.

"That does sound like suicide." Tisdale added, "And, leftenant, I'm not risking my men's lives to carry out a vengeance mission for nomads."

"Understood sir, but the Medjai have helped us avoid some fairly nasty encounters with the Germans since they surprised us." Godfrey replied, "It would be terrible of us to turn them back when they need our help now."

"True." Tisdale said, "And we will need their help. But you and D'Artagnan will have to take care of it yourselves. We'll help get you out of there with one of our vehicles, and we'll allow you to use the captured Panzerfausts."

"We'll get them ready presently." Godfrey replied.

---

Rick O'Connell chambered a round into his shotgun, after checking both his revolvers had bullets in them. "Vinny, are you ready?" Rick asked.

Vinny nodded, a wide grin on his face as he held the detonator in his hands. Everyone else took cover and plugged their ears as Vinny, solemn as a priest, held onto the detonator and then twisted the handle. Thunder reverberated as Vinny blew the stone door open.

"It's clear." Vinny said, "Say, Kolopak, after this, can I blow something else up?"

"Vinny. Not now." Kolopak said, as he noticed Vinny rigging several mines outside the entrance of the temple, "Godfrey and the others might come in to help us."

"But the Germans or Heartless might turn up too." Vinny replied.

"Vinny," Prue replied, as if talking to a very small child, "If Godfrey and D'Artagnan come over here, I don't want to see them getting blown up by landmines."

"Oh well. More explosives for later." Vinny replied, as he attached a shoebox sized launcher to his right shoulder, and attached a pressure trigger to the handgrip of his Thompson sub machinegun.

"Something tells me that Vinny is going to ruin the ruins, isn't he?" Jonathan commented.

"If the ruins are still standing at the end of all this, I will be amazed." Rick replied as they moved deeper into the tunnels.

"Only Vinny could ruin ancient ruins." Prue quipped, "Let's just hope he brought enough explosives to take on Imhotep's surprises..."

Just then several mummies with wicked looking scimitars came running around the corner.

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha!!!!" Vinny laughed as he put down a satchel, and released several walking cherry bombs towards them.

"Go forth my children! EXPLODE! EXPLODE!!! AH HA HA HA HA HA!!!" Vinny laughed insanely as more explosions echoed, the bombs exploding into the front line of Imhotep's mummified henchmen.

---

"So what is this scheme of your for attacking the Nazi tank?" Godfrey asked D'Artagnan as both men crept across the rocky outcropping, several Medjai behind them.

"The rocket should go through the hull of the tank, hopefully puncturing the magazine or fuel tank..." D'Artagnan began.

"Wait. Hopefully?" Godfrey almost exploded, "Hopefully! I thought you had experience fighting tanks with Free French Forces?"

"Yes, but let's say I, how you say, winged it..." D'Artagnan began.

"First of all, I'm English, not American." Godfrey replied, "And second, if the Germans don't kill of us, the Medjai will."

Godfrey took a glance at the half dozen or so Medjai, all of them still in varying states of rage over the destruction of their home territory.

"There's also some reinforcements around that tank." Godfrey remarked, indicating half a dozen German infantrymen and at least twice as many Heartless.

"Looks like infantry support. Sacre bleu, let's have some fun..." D'Artagnan smiled.

"The tank's our priority. Tisdale and some other Medjai are preparing to deal with the infantry." Godfrey replied.

"Right." Godfrey replied, and indicating the Panzerfaust disposable recoilless weapon D'Artagnan was carrying, asked, "Are you sure you know how to use that thing?"

"If not I have another one." D'Artagnan said, "And besides how hard can it be. Monsieur Godfrey, the weapon is designed to explode tanks. What better weapon to use against a German tank than a German anti-tank weapon."

D'Artagnan put the Panzerfaust under the crook of his arm, as per the firing instructions and triggered the weapon. The projectile spiraled into the side of the tank and exploded. The tank was still there.

"Damn it..." D'Artagnan said.

"What happened to 'What better weapon to use against a German tank than a German anti-tank weapon'?" Godfrey replied. The German tank turned its turret upward and fired a shell. Godfrey and D'Artagnan took cover immediately.

Rock and dust exploded as the shell burst. "What's Plan B?" Godfrey asked.

D'Artagnan didn't answer and took the other Panzerfaust from his pack, took aim and fired it. The weapon struck the left tank tread.

"She's immobile." D'Artagnan replied.

A burst of machinegun fire stitched near Godfrey and a few Medjai, "But still in the fight."

Just then a cacophony of gunfire burst from nearby, the concealed machinegun ripped into the force of Heartless. Other Medjai and Captain Tisdale's detachment were throwing grenades at the supporting infantry.

Alex aimed his rifle at a Heartless and squeezed the trigger, killing it, the bullet splitting the skull open.

Godfrey, D'Artagnan and half a dozen Medjai headed straight for the tank, which tried shooting at them with its machineguns. However, the tank's turret couldn't traverse as fast as the men could run.

D'Artagnan jumped on top of the turret, popping it open and spraying the magazine from his Thompson gun into the insides of the tank. Godfrey tossed a grenade into the tank's insides as well and black smoke issued from the German vehicle.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

Just then the sound of a 20mm flak gun, hidden in the rocks opened up, decapitating the Medjai nearest Godfrey. "Flak gun! 20 mil! Take cover!" Godfrey shouted.

The dull thunks of 20mm rounds smacking against the steel hull of the tank mingled with the shouts of wounded Medjai caught in the aftermath. One Medjai tried to drag himself to safety, holding his stomach with one hand, rivulets of blood flowing in sluggish streams between his fingers, only to have a German infantryman put a bullet into his skull.

BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!

"We have to flank that thing somehow." Godfrey said as he, D'Artagnan and several Medjai ducked behind the tank. More gunfire sounded, another group of German infantry jumped into the battle. Two of them charged around the tank and Godfrey dropped them with shots from his carbine.

A grenade flew threw the air and D'Artagnan kicked it away, ducking as the device exploded. More German troops from a hidden detachment leapt into the battle, eager to tear the British force that had destroyed one of their tanks.

Another series of shouts, "Harum barashad!" came the Medjai battle cry. At this, several of the German infantry guarding the flak gun turned towards the sound of this new threat.

Horsemen in black robes appeared, swords clutched in their hands as they bore down onto the attacking German infantry. The flak gun kept up its drumbeat of shots.

"Now's our chance." Godfrey replied, "Let's flank it and toss a grenade onto it."

Godfrey and D'Artagnan ran around to the flank of the flak gun. The German gunners attempted to traverse the gun, but couldn't turn it around nearly as fast as Godfrey and D'Artagnan could run. D'Artagnan kept firing burst from his Thompson gun, while Godfrey fired rounds from his M-1 Carbine. Godfrey pulled the pin from the grenade at his side and then tossed the grenade into the flak gun. A great explosion sounded as the ammo ignited and exploded, tossing shrapnel all about the place. The flak stopped.

The Medjai were reaping a bloody revenge amongst the German infantry who fled towards a nearby ravine. The running infantry had no hope of outrunning the faster, and rather vengeful cavalry men. Swords split open skulls, severed necks and speared bodies. Lances and spears pierced chests and backs.

Several utterly terrified German conscripts jumped into the wadi, chancing broken limbs or death from the steep drops. Loud, ululating cries from the Medjai echoed across the hard baked desert as they chased the routed Germans, eager to avenge past defeats.

Ardeth Bey shouted to his fellow Medjai, riding his horse amidst detachments of blood thirsty tribesmen cutting down fleeing Germans like wheat. "Let them run!" Ardeth Bey shouted, "Let the survivors tell their comrades what they've seen, of what occurs when they destroy our villages! We have won a great victory here!"

"Let us slaughter them like the animals they are!" another tribesman snarled, "They showed us no mercy. An eye for an eye!"

"If you chase them back to German lines, another slaughter awaits." Ardeth Bey replied, "They have their modern weapons, aircraft, and tanks. Horsemen are no match for them. Besides others are in trouble, other members of the_ Morrowind's _crew..."

"What should we care of Kolopak and his traveling band?" The tribesman snarled back.

"Kolopak at this time is attacking our true arch enemy, Imhotep in his own lair." Ardeth Bey replied, "And two of his crew as well as soldiers of the British Army were willing to help us drive the Germans off."

"Those damned Germans killed my children. I will slay them until I too am slain, by Allah!" The tribesman, whose name was Samad, replied as he swung his scimitar, splitting the skull of a fleeing German infantryman, spilling brains into the sand.

"It was Imhotep who ordered the genocide of our people! Stop him and his German pawns will flee our territory." Ardeth Bey shouted back.

"Back towards Hamunnaptra!" Samad shouted, and as one the squadron of Medjai cavalry wheeled left as the British soldiers that had helped them jumped into their vehicles and headed towards the City of the Dead.

---

"Rick!" Evey screamed, she was hanging, by chains about her wrist, over a crack in the floor. From the crack in the floor the sounds of damned souls echoed.

Standing before the fissure was none other than Imhotep, chanting in some ancient language. Imhotep turned to face them in a very casual manner. "So, you've come for the Book of the Dead, hoping to extend Inspector Trudeau's life..." Imhotep replied.

"We'll take it from you, Imhotep." Prue replied, "You're not taking him without a fight."

"So be it." Imhotep replied, and chanted in Ancient Egyptian. From all around the heroes came a force of several Heartless, they were very similar to the Mummified warriors that Vinny's walking Cherry Bombs had obliterated earlier. They wore Egyptian style head covers, bore wicked looking swords and were covered in linen bandages, their eyes glowed a dim yellow glow, and the Heartless insignia adorned their desiccated torsos.

Kolopak raised his rifle and cracked off a round that tore through the head of one of the attacking Heartless before racing for higher ground, "Vinny, cover me!" Kolopak shouted. _Great, I've got an insane Italian pyromaniac watching my back. _

Vinny raised his Tommy gun, with its drum magazine and began firing bursts of gunfire that shredded attacking Heartless with .45 caliber ball ammunition.

A Mummy Heartless with a club snuck up behind Vinny about to brain him. Just then, Rick O'Connell raised his shotgun and fired a single round, blowing the creature's head off.

"Thanks for the save." Vinny grumbled.

"Hey, as destructive as your inventions are, we don't need the mummies killing you." Rick replied.

"Thanks." Vinny replied.

"Because that would deprive _us_ of the opportunity to kill you." Donald replied as he shouted, "Thunder!!!"

Electric charged clouds appeared and bolts of lightning incinerated several more Heartless, but more kept coming towards the heroes as Imhotep summoned more of them.

Meanwhile, using a pair of ceremonial but deadly Atlantean daggers, Kida fought her way through the crowd of Heartless. Kolopak, perched atop a pile of ruined stone, fired his rifle with deadly accuracy, killing any Heartless that approached too close to her.

"Where do you think you're going..." Anck Su Namun said, menacingly, wielding a wicked looking sword.

Kida said nothing, but stood her ground, circling Anck Su Namun, looking for any weaknesses in her defenses.

CRACK! Kolopak fired again, and another Mummy Heartless set to brain Kida, fell to the ground with a hole blown through its left eye. Kolopak cycled the bolt of his 1903 Springfield rifle and searched for another target.

"That isn't a fair fight." Kida replied.

Anck Su Namun smiled wickedly, "Who said anything about fighting fair, _Princess._"

Anck Su Namun thrust forward with her sword towards Kida's stomach. Kida, with her twin sai weapons, caught the sword in an x-block. With a twist she wrenched the weapon from Anck Su Namun's hands.

"No matter." Anck Su Namun said, "It will be more pleasurable still to kill you with my bare hands."

Anck Su Namun launched a roundhouse kick which Kida promptly blocked with a raised shin. The two women traded probing attacks as they circled one another.

"Prue!" Andy shouted as several Waffen SS troops, members of the SS _Totenkopf _or 'Death's Head' division, burst into the temple. He shoved her out of the way as a German soldier fired his rifle and he felt the sharp pain as the bullet tore into his midsection.

"Andy!" Prue shouted and used her powers, sending the German rifleman into the pit where Evey still hung by her hands.

"I'm OK," Andy said, groaning as he leaned against a statue's pedestal, his .45 caliber handgun still in his hand, "Get the book..."

"I won't leave you again." Prue replied.

"Prue, help the others!" Andy shouted, the effort paining him.

"I've got him, Prue." Doc said as he knelt beside Andy, taking medical supplies from his bag, and treating Andy's wounds.

Kolopak's rifle spoke again, downing another Nazi with a single bullet through the head, the Nazi was aiming his rifle at Doc.

"HARUM BARASHAD!" Came the shout as the Medjai came charging into the temple, slashing with swords at the nearest enemies as the battle degenerated into a hand to hand melee with gunshots echoing.

Kolopak took careful aim yet again and squeezed off yet another bullet, causing another Nazi to collapse, dead, to the temple floor, a hole blown through the area between his eyes. He was trying to keep Vinny safe, so the Italian demolitionist could get more of his walking cherry bombs active, in order to allow the team some space. _Never thought I'd want Vinny to get as many as possible of his walking cherry bombs and God knows what other insane devices active... _Kolopak thought as he fired another shot that took down a Heartless.

Prue tossed a vial of an exploding potion at a German soldier taking aim at Kida, sending him flying. She heard another gunshot ring out behind her and spun 'round, in time to see a Bandit Heartless fall with a single shot through the head. Standing nearby was Alan Godfrey, his .38 revolver in his hand, "Watch your back."

Prue used her powers again, sending another Heartless flying into some spikes on the wall. "Watch yours."

"I'll cover you, get to Imhotep and the book!" Godfrey shouted.

Prue didn't hesitate, using her powers, potions, or self defense tricks she'd picked up from Phoebe to fight her way through the crowd of enemies. She could hear the shots from Godfrey's carbine and revolver as he fired as fast as he could reload or pull the trigger on attacking Heartless.

Ardeth Bey swung his sword, splitting the skull of yet another attacking Heartless as three more Mummified Heartless closed in on him. Three against one, tough odds, but he wasn't giving up. He stabbed one through its chest, just as a second one stabbed him above the hip. He was going to die, he knew it, but he wasn't going to die without taking as many of Imhotep's minions with him as possible.

The sound of a shotgun firing just inches away reverberated loudly in his ears. He could barely hear Rick O'Connell's voice, "You're not going to the afterlife yet, buddy."

BOOM! A walking cherry bomb exploded into a knot of Heartless.

"YES!" Vinny shouted, pumping a fist into the air, "One!"

Another walking cherry bomb exploded amidst a second cluster of Imhotep's henchmen. "Two!"

BOOM! "Three!"

BOOM! "Four! YES!!!" Vinny shouted triumphantly, as another explosion cleared a path for Rick and Ardeth Bey to Evey's position. The two of them cut Evey down from her bonds and got her away from the pit.

BOOM "Five!"

"One of the few times I'm grateful Vinny's a prodigy with explosives." Jonathan quipped.

"Fira!" Donald shouted, shooting a stream of flame at a several Heartless and incinerating them.

BOOM "Six!" Vinny shouted, as he watched more walking cherry bombs roam into the fight, "Come on a new record..."

BOOM! "Seven!!!" Vinny shouted as another blast sounded, "Eight! Unbelievable!!!"

Meanwhile Prue had fought her way through to Imhotep's position. "Prepare to be vanquished!" Prue shouted and tossed one of the most powerful potions she ever mixed at him.

The vial sounded with a deafening roar that made Vinny's explosives look like fire crackers. It sent Imhotep falling heavily on his back before rising to his feet and dusting off his priestly black robes. That was all.

A very dangerous expression appeared on Imhotep's face, "That was most unwise, witch...I doubt that even your improvised Power of Three with Sora and Donald would have even fazed me..."

Imhotep indicated Donald, Goofy and Sora, who were standing back to back. Goofy swung his Smasher shield, braining a nearby Heartless, before clutching it to him as a German infantryman emptied a magazine from a Schmeisser MP-40 machine pistol at him. Sora swung his Keyblade, vanquishing any Heartless that was foolish enough to be in its arc. Donald was throwing potions and casting spells as more Heartless converged around them.

Prue felt her ribs contracting, her lungs feeling like fists were crushing them, taking all the air out. Her heart wanted to invade her throat, her throat to fly into her head, her head to fly to pieces. Imhotep levitated her into the air.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Godfrey wrestling with a Nazi soldier, a bayonet clutched in his hands, the two men dueling for control of the blade.

Prue felt her vision darken, narrowing. _I'm sorry Andy..._she thought as a single tear ran down her cheek and she felt unconsciousness take her.

Andy saw Prue suffering. His wound be damned, he wasn't letting that bald bastard take her, magic or not. He rose to his feet, disregarding his injury, running past individual fights before flinging himself into Imhotep with a flying tackle, legacy of his old football days. Imhotep had been so busy killing Prue that he had no warning of Andy diving on top of him.

Andy swung fists at Imhotep's head, striking the high priest repeatedly before putting his hands around the hated man's throat and jamming a thumb into Imhotep's eye. The blows did nothing. For all they did, Andy may have only been throwing grapes. Imhotep used his telekinetic powers to send Andy flying into a pillar with a wet smacking sound.

---

"_Where are we?" Prue asked, but even as the question formed the answer found itself in her mind, "No, it can't be..." _

"_We've been here before Prue." Andy said, sadly indicating their swing in the foggy surroundings, "And now we're here again." _

"_Andy...no, please, it can't be..." Prue began, "We've come so far..."_

"_Prue," Andy said, gently taking her in his arms, "we can't fight destiny."_

"_Andy, screw destiny. I can make this better. We can make this better..." Prue said, desperately._

"_No, you can't." Andy said, "Though I wish you could." _

"_I can. The Book of the Dead..." Prue began._

"_No." Andy said, "No, you shouldn't...it's too dangerous..."_

"_Andy, I'm not going to let you die." Prue replied, tears in her eyes._

"_Prue..." Andy said, gently wiping a tear away, "The Book of the Dead would be devastating in the wrong hands. Magic with the power over life and death can't be allowed to just be around, waiting for someone to get their hands on it." _

"_Just let me use it to bring you back..." Prue countered._

"_Prue, no." Andy replied, "I really would want you to do it, but for the good of all the others, no. Think of how much harm could be caused if someone truly evil were to get a hold of the Book of the Dead. All the demons you've vanquished over the years would come back with rejuvenated powers." _

"_Andy..." Prue began._

"_We've been here before, Prue, and we both know what will happen. I'll have to stay, and you'll return..." Andy began._

"_But Andy..." Prue began._

"_It wasn't my destiny to live again. Maleficent used me, took my soul from the afterlife, hoping to get closer to you." Andy replied._

_Prue opened her mouth to argue, but Andy said, "Please don't let me die in vain." _

"_You don't have to die, Andy." Prue replied._

"_Prue, please don't make this any harder than it has to be..." Andy replied, "You can't stay here much longer, others need you..."_

"_Please, Andy, no..." Prue said, as she felt herself being pulled back into reality. _

"_Remember you have a choice when you come back. Please choose wisely..." Andy said, his voice trailing off._

---

Prue grabbed the Book of the Dead, which had been dislodged from Imhotep's grasp by Andy's sacrifice. She saw Godfrey disentangle himself from the corpse of the German soldier he'd just stabbed to death.

"Prue we have to get rid of it!" Godfrey shouted.

Prue thought. _I have a choice. Save Andy and risk losing the book to Imhotep. Or let Andy die and keep Imhotep away from the book forever. _

The temple shook violently, between the explosions and the tremors created by Imhotep's rage the old structure could stand no longer.

"This temple's not going to last much longer." Vinny shouted.

"Vinny, part of that is your fault!" Jonathan quipped.

"But not all this destruction is Vinny's fault..." Kolopak replied. _I can't believe I'm saying this. _

Milo lay wounded on the ground, smashed in the side by a war club. Kida was at his side, tending to his wounds as Evey dueled with Anck Su Namun, trading blows with her former captor.

Doc clubbed at another Heartless with the butt of his rifle, as Godfrey retrieved his carbine, picking off another Heartless that was about to run Doc through the back with a sword.

Prue saw Imhotep rising to his feet, she couldn't let him have that book. If she didn't get rid of it, she had no idea what else Imhotep could do with it. But this was what she had come all this way for, to save Andy, who now lay on the floor, blood flowing from his head and mouth. This was the only way to save him.

However, every second she had that book in hand, increased the possibility of Imhotep taking it. And after he had killed the _Morrowind's_ crew, who knew what terrors Imhotep could think to unleash...

Prue shouted, "If you want this book, you can have it!"

Prue flung the book, using her powers and her arms, into the fissure in the floor. Imhotep raced after it, trying to pull it with his own powers, standing precariously at the edge of the fissure. Prue saw her chance and tossed her last vial of explosive potion at his feet, sending Imhotep screaming into the abyss...

"Prue, this temple's not going to hold up for much longer!" Godfrey shouted. The Heartless and Germans were fleeing from the collapsing structure.

"Come on!" Kolopak urged, half dragging Prue from the structure until they were outside and the old temple collapsed in on itself...

Prue sank to her knees in the sand and sobbed piteously.

---

"Andy failed." Jafar said.

"I always knew that he was weak for his wench." Oogie Boogie replied.

"And Imhotep has failed as well." Jafar replied.

"The Halliwell witch still breathes." Maleficent said, "And Imhotep is vanquished."

"So this is a fine mess your lover has gotten us into." Jafar snarled at Anck-Su-Namun, who had fled the temple at the last moment.

"That was most unwise, Jafar..." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"You don't have your cursed lover with power over the sands to back you up, so I hardly think you're in the position to get angry..." Jafar replied.

"But I think I have knowledge you might want. Something that could help us gain vengeance over the Allies and thirteen powerful new allies." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"Hah, with the power of the Source," Oogie Boogie replied, "we can destroy the Halliwell witch once and for all."

"And what Thirteen allies do you speak of?" Jafar remarked, "Are you going to conjure them out of thin air..."

"No, idiot, I was referring to the Chest of Demons." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"And where is this mythical chest hidden..." Jafar said, "Certainly not in your bodice..."

Colonel Rourke walked into the room just then, holding a chest made of a red hardwood, with several iron bands crisscrossing it. The metal head of a horned demon adorned the latch, "I believe I have a solution for this."

"But the Ghosts are said to be unpredictable, with their own agendas..." Oogie Boogie replied.

"You don't need to control them. They will destroy all in their paths, and we need only watch them destroy those pesky Allies." Anck-Su-Namun replied.

"And you'll be none the wiser, because all we have to do is return them to the Chest." Rourke replied.

"I know of this mysterious Chest of Demons, Rourke." Maleficent said, "But I also know something of the reality where it comes from. Supposedly these demons were imprisoned by some 'meddling kids' and their dogs, with help from Vincent Van Ghoul..."

"Already taken care of." Hades replied, "Since I helped Rourke steal the chest, allow me to explain. Magically we covered our tracks, so the Mystery Group has no idea that we stole it."

"OK, but what of these meddling kids..." Maleficent said.

"They're a few years older, in the timeline I stole the Chest from, more conservative with careers and families. They're not as likely to risk that to chase demons, especially if said demons are afflicting a different dimension from theirs..." Hades replied, "Humans can be awfully careful and self-centered when families and careers are at stake..."

---

"Andy, for the brief time he was with us, touched our lives." Kolopak began.

In the middle of the dining area was a portrait of Andy flanked with flowers and pictures. Prue had placed one red and one white rose in front of the portrait.

"His love for Prue inspired the noble sacrifice that enabled us to survive and to vanquish one of our deadliest foes." Kolopak replied.

Evey clutched Rick's hand with one and Alex's hand with the other. The crew of the _Morrowind_ assembled to say their last goodbyes to Andy Trudeau.

As Kolopak went on with his eulogy, speaking of the good that Andy had done for the crew, for fighting the Heartless alongside them, for standing for justice and his loved ones all the way tears appeared on faces of some of his shipmates.

"However it was for the woman he loved that he gave his life, willingly..." Kolopak continued.

At this Prue couldn't take it, she broke down again, and Godfrey escorted her out of the room. Godfrey held her close to him, feeling her body shudder with sobs and her tears soak into his shirt.

"Prue, I can't say anything to take away your pain, or to make you stop hurting." Godfrey began, "And believe me, if I could I would, gladly. I can't tell you you'll stop missing Andy, but I can tell you the pain will go away with time."

Prue didn't reply, and Godfrey continued, "If you need anything, someone to talk to, whatever it be or whenever possible, I'll always be there."

Through tears, Prue looked up at him, "Thank you..."

"I will always be there for those I care for..." Godfrey replied.

---

**End. Up next our heroes join forces with a group of meddling kids and a dog or two from Prue's timeline to try and stop Thirteen of the most terrifying ghosts. I'm sure that's a dead giveaway as to what '80s cartoon I've brought into this fic. **


End file.
